WhatsApp is a hugely popular, free, proprietary messaging, social media, and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service that lets users send text, voice messages, and video messages, as well as make voice and video calls over an internet connection. WhatsApp’s client application runs on mobile devices, and can be accessed from computers
The service offers an easy way to stay connected with loved ones – through photos, phone calls and video calls, as well as messages.
In this roundup, we look at unofficial Linux clients that let you use the WhatsApp service.
Here’s our verdict captured by a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.
Let’s look at the software in more detail.
| WhatsApp Clients | |
|---|---|
| Franz | Messaging app for WhatsApp, Slack, and others |
| WhatSie | Feature rich WhatsApp web client based on Qt WebEngine |
| nchat | Terminal-based chat client |
| ZapZap | Progressive Web Application |
| Karere | Native GTK4 application |
| Youp | WhatsApp wrapper |
| Whatsit | Native desktop client for WhatsAp |
| WasIstLos | Unofficial WhatsApp desktop application written in C++ |
| ElecWhat | Simple desktop WhatsApp client |
| Whatevr | Uses whatsmeow to access the WhatsApp web multidevice API |
| WhatsApp Desktop | Wraps the official WhatsApp Web interface |
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
 Explore our carefully curated directory of recommended free and open source software, covering every major software category.The directory forms part of our extensive collection of articles for Linux enthusiasts. It includes hundreds of detailed reviews, together with free and open source alternatives to proprietary software from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. LinuxLinks also covers interesting projects worth exploring, Linux-compatible hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application that we haven’t covered? Tell us about it using our submission form. |
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Why are you covering proprietary services on LinuxLinks???
We cover everything to do with Linux.
Also old WazzApp still works without problems. Actually it’s a wrapper for web version of WhatsApp.
i have been using whatsapp through chromium web browser and it’s nice. it does not require your phone to be connected to the internet while you are using it, which is nice. and it has been that way now for more than one year. but i never knew that there are now full linux fat clients available. it will be interesting to try them especially if they allow you to do more than the web client. thanks!!!!
Franz is not Free, they use the same Playstore tackticts with free trial.
Thanks Boblin. You’re correct that Franz 6 doesn’t appear to be open source, although Franz 5 was released under the Apache License 2.0 licence.
I’ll contact the Franz developers for clarification. Unless they can confirm that Franz 6 is open source, we’ll remove Franz from the roundup at its next update.