Google Messages

What it is

Google Messages is Google’s own texting app for Android. It is published by Google LLC in the Communication category, first appeared on Play on Nov 12, 2014, and was last updated on 2026-10-26. It is free and rated Everyone. The listing frames the app around RCS, a newer texting standard that it says replaces SMS and MMS.

What the listing says it does well

Most of the feature list is about richer chats. The text mentions higher resolution photos and videos, typing indicators and group chats that can include iPhone users who also have RCS. It also lists custom chat bubble colors and selfie gifs for people who want to personalize conversations.

On privacy, the listing says chats between Google Messages users are end-to-end encrypted, and it adds spam protection. It also mentions Magic Compose, an AI feature that suggests wording. For multiple devices, the text says you can pick up a chat on a tablet or computer, and that a Wear OS version exists.

What the ratings show

The score is 4.59 from 51,267,244 ratings. That is a very large sample, and the app sits at 10,000,000,000+ installs. About 80.8% of ratings are five stars and 9% are four stars. The low end is small but not empty: 5.1% gave one star, 1.4% gave two and 3.6% gave three. Roughly one rating in fifteen is a one or two star score, so the praise is broad but not universal.

Where it falls short

The listing is upfront that RCS availability varies by region and carrier, and that a data plan may be required. Features also vary by market and device, and a beta signup may be needed for some of them. The listing does not say which feature needs which setup, so the page alone cannot tell you what you will get on a given phone.

The encryption claim is also narrower than it first sounds. It covers chats between Google Messages users, so it is not described as applying to every conversation you have, such as one with a contact on a different app.

Who it suits

It suits anyone who wants a no-cost default texting app from the platform maker, especially people who message across Android and iPhone. If your carrier or region does not support RCS, expect a plainer experience than the headline description suggests.