AOL (News - Alert) recently announced the closure of its instant messaging service, AIM. Maybe this has disheartened a lot of AIM fans. The service will be terminated as of December 15, 2017.  There are services that have become more popular thanks to their multiplatform compatibility. In fact, reliance on smart phones for the purpose of instant messaging communication is what has brought about the demise of AIM. What alternatives should you go for the equivalent experience that you have been used to? Let us check out the best alternatives to AIM.

Google (News - Alert) Hangouts

Google Hangouts has been one of the prominent messaging services you can choose as an alternative to AIM. Coming from Google, itself, it has several options and is secure enough. The multiplatform functionality is what makes it one of the best alternatives. Another thing important to add is that Hangouts works great on your desktop and smartphone.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp can be a great substitute for AIM. In recent years, it has gained wide global popularity for its functionality. It has recently launched the service for the web – WhatsApp on Web, which is precisely what makes it one of the apps similar to AIM. It can be used for video calls as well. The service is available on Android (News - Alert), iOS, Windows and even on Linux.

Brosix

Brosix IM is a great alternative for AIM those users looking for an Enterprise instant messaging solution. Much of its popularity is due to Brosix’ high level of encryption of all communication channels. Apart from the security, Brosix combines Enterprise and Application features that are strongly appreciated in business environments and increase team efficiency. Last, but not least, Brosix comes at an affordable price.

Trillian

Trillian shares many of its features with AIM. The free multiprotocol instant messaging service has its clients across different platforms. You can use it on MS Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Blackberry and also the web. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that it can be integrated with other instant messenger services, like Windows Live and ICQ – and even with social media services like Facebook, Twitter (News - Alert) and Instagram. It also offers you the pop-up window functionality exactly as seen on AIM.

Skype

We cannot forget Skype when discussing Instant Messengers. It has built a name for itself and can be a great alternative to AIM. The service comes with multiple features, like video messages, file sharing, voice and video calls, and a host of other features. Even business discussions and interviews are held on Skype (News - Alert) today. What’s more, calling between Skype accounts is free, with. Calls to domestic and international phone numbers are quite affordable.

AIM Alternatives in a Nutshell

The end of AIM has caused us go through a lot of questions; answering all of them is not an easy task. For instance, AIM does not let you export your buddy list onto any other instant messenger service. If you have been using it as the only service so far, you may end up losing your contacts. However, you can download your chat history and save it – though they cannot be exported to any other application.

While you have plenty of alternatives to the renowned AIM, we know you are nostalgic and will miss it. We just hope that the alternatives we have listed here meet your needs and help you adjust and remain productive, even without AIM. 

About the author:  Leena Boor is a content strategist, expert freelance writer, and online entrepreneur. She loves to share practical business tips that help small businesses build brand awareness.She's lectured for several universities, and worked with over 100 businesses over the course of the last 6 years.