Thinking about building your own chat app for your team? Use a web chat API and get your app up and running in 10 mins. But which API to choose? We’ve got a list!
Highlights
- Why you need an app solely for your team 🤔
- The 10 best APIs world-class companies used, for building their apps 🏆
- Reasons why your team needs a company chat app and not a third-party messaging app 📱
Is your team still using Google Chat & Microsoft Teams to chat with each other? You may need to reconsider this!
85% of mobile phishing attacks occur outside of email, through social networks, games, or messaging apps.
Third-party messaging apps are great. They’ve got all the fancy features, easy to use functionalities, and everything your team needs.
But in reality, your team is discussing potential business information that might go out of hand, if the app is attacked by even the slightest breach.
Would you spare the security of your business with apps just because they are easily accessible?
We clearly sense a NO. And that is why we recommend you building your own app for your company’s internal team communication.
But is that easy?
Yes! Building a mobile app only takes 10 minutes and we’ll reveal every detail about it. Stay with us!
What Is Web Chat API?
A Web Chat API is a tool that lets developers add chat functionality to their websites or apps. For example, it enables the integration of a real-time chat window, allowing users to engage in instant conversations without leaving the site.
10 Best Team & Office Messaging APIs For Enterprise Apps
The Top 10 Best Office Chat APIs & Messaging SDKs are MirrorFly, Stream, Apphitect, Sendbird, Twilio, Cometchat, PubNub, TalkJS, Agora & Vonage.
#1. MirrorFly: The #1 Instant Messaging Software for Custom Apps
MirrorFly is a leading CPaaS provider that offers in-app communication SDKs & APIs for web and mobile apps. The solution comes with 1000+ video, voice and chat features that you can customize as much as you want and make your office chat as interactive as you can.
The highlight of MirrorFly is that it is the only provider that comes with both cloud and self-hosted chat solutions. Which means, you can build your app and host it anywhere – on your own data centers, private cloud, third-party server or MirrorFly’s own multi-tenant cloud server.
When it comes to white-labeling, you’ve got full freedom. Since MirrorFly will give you full access to source code, you can liberally add your own logo, color and brand elements and build the app with the intricacies that an in-house team will deliver.
And guess what? You can do all of this within the next few hours, and get your teams chatting on your own app by tomorrow or the day after.
🎯 Why Choose MirrorFly?
- 100% Customization: MirrorFly offers completely customizable messaging as well as video calling features for building web chat apps.
- Multi-tenancy support: If you choose to host your app on MirrorFly servers, you can leverage their multi-tenancy approach to maintain the conversation channels on your app.
- Scalability: Easily scales up to 1B+ conversations.
- Multi-Platform Support: MirrorFly ensures a consistent experience across various platforms.
- Security: Implements advanced security protocols with AES-encryptions, SSL, GDPR, HIPAA & OWASP.
- Reliability: Offers a reliable infrastructure for uninterrupted communication.
👍Pros:
- 100% customization options
- Excellent scalability for growing user bases
- Twin model Deployment: Cloud/ Self-hosting flexibility
👎Cons:
- On-screen recording of video calls unavailable
🌏Supported Platforms:
#2. Stream
Stream is a powerful chat API designed for scalability, making it ideal for enterprise-level apps that require efficient real-time communication. Their key features include activity feeds and chat for web and mobile apps.
Why Choose Stream?
- Scalability: Easily accommodates a growing user base.
- Intuitive Design: User-friendly interface for seamless integration.
- Speed: Provides high-speed message delivery for real-time conversations.
- Reliability: Offers robust infrastructure for stable performance.
- Activity Feeds: Includes activity feeds for personalized user experiences.
Pros:
- High-speed message delivery
- User-friendly API integration
- Reliable infrastructure
Cons:
- Limited free-tier options
- Some advanced features may require additional configuration
- Pricing may be on the higher side for smaller businesses
Supported Platforms:
#3. Apphitect: Whitelabel Real Time Chat Solution
Apphitect is the most developer-friendly chat API solution that is perfect for building in-app messaging features into any enterprise app. It lets you customize the messaging features as much as you need and ensures that the complete development process is smooth and quick.
Why Choose Apphitect?
- Feature-rich: Comprehensive set of features for diverse communication needs.
- Scalability: Adapts to the changing requirements of your growing enterprise/ business.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensures a consistent user experience across Android, iOS and web platforms.
- Easy Integration: User-friendly API for straightforward implementation.
- Security: Protects apps with end-to-end encryption protocols like AES-128 and SSL.
Pros:
- Comprehensive feature set
- Scalable for enterprise growth
- Cross-platform compatibility
Cons:
- Screen sharing unavailable
Supported Platforms:
#4. Sendbird
Sendbird is a popular team chat API solution known for its ease of integration and powerful features, making it suitable for diverse enterprise apps. It is well known for its diverse range of features to integrate communication features on top of any technology that you prefer.
Why Choose Sendbird?
- Ease of Integration: Quick and seamless integration into existing apps.
- Feature Set: Robust set of features for enhanced communication experiences.
- Scalability: Easily scales to meet the demands of growing user bases.
- Community Support: Active community for assistance and best practices.
- Speed: Provides fast and reliable message delivery.
Pros:
- Quick and easy integration
- Robust feature set
- Active community support
Cons:
- Not budget-friendly for small-scale businesses
Supported Platforms:
#5. Twilio
Twilio is a widely-used communication platform that offers a range of APIs, including chat for internal team communication. It is suitable for diverse enterprise communication needs because of its SIP & VoIP communication features along with programmable voice chat APIs.
Why Choose Twilio?
- Versatility: Provides various communication APIs in addition to chat.
- Scalability: Scales to accommodate the needs of growing enterprises.
- Integration Options: Integrates seamlessly with existing systems.
Pros:
- Versatile communication platform
- Reliable infrastructure
Cons:
- Some features requires improvement
Supported Platforms:
#6. Cometchat
Cometchat is a chat API solution designed to enhance real-time communication in various apps. It is one of the most flexible chat tools for building work messaging apps for efficient team collaboration.
Why Choose Cometchat?
Features: Offers a variety of features for diverse communication needs.
User Engagement Tools: Includes tools for enhancing user engagement.
Pros:
- Quick and easy integration
- Adaptable features
Cons:
- The free-tier options are limited
Supported Platforms:
#7. PubNub
PubNub is a real-time communication platform that offers chat APIs, catering to various enterprise communication needs with its reliable infrastructure.
Why Choose PubNub?
Real-Time Functionality: Ensures real-time message delivery for instant communication.
Online Presence Detection: Includes features for detecting user presence.
Pros:
- Scales with your enterprise needs
- Tech support is a strength
Cons:
- Complexities with understanding Docs
Supported Platforms:
#8. TalkJS
TalkJS is a versatile chat API that makes adding chat to your website simple and easy. With a focus on customization, TalkJS lets you build a seamless communication experience to your users with a diverse range of features and UI components.
Why Choose TalkJS?
- Ease of Integration: The SDKs offered by TalkJS are very easy to integrate and you can complete the entire web chat app development within a few hours.
- Customization: You can personalize the chat features as per your needs to deliver a consistent brand experience.
- User-Friendly Documentation: The docs provided by TalkJS are easy to follow.
Pros:
- Quick integration
- Easy to follow docs
Cons:
Supported Platforms:
#9. Agora
Agora is a leading provider of Real-Time Engagement (RTE) solutions. It offers a comprehensive platform for adding voice, video, and live interactive streaming capabilities to apps across various industries and use cases.
Why Choose Agora?
- Scalability: Agora’s infrastructure can handle millions of concurrent users, making it suitable for applications of any size.
- Global Coverage: With data centers in different parts of the world, Agora ensures low-latency communication for users across the globe.
- Flexible SDKs: Agora provides SDKs for multiple platforms, allowing developers to easily integrate real-time communication features.
Pros:
- High-quality audio and video
- Extensive API documentation
- Strong performance in challenging network conditions
Cons:
- Pricing can be complex for some use cases
- Learning curve for advanced features
Supported Platforms:
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
#10. Vonage
Vonage (formerly Nexmo) offers a suite of communication APIs and solutions for voice, video, messaging, and verification for developers and businesses. It enables businesses to integrate various communication channels into apps and services.
Why Choose Vonage?
- Comprehensive Suite: Vonage provides a wide range of communication APIs, allowing developers to implement multiple channels within a single platform.
- Reliability: With a robust infrastructure, Vonage maintains a high uptime and faster message delivery rates.
- Developer-Friendly: Vonage offers extensive documentation, libraries, and SDKs to simplify the integration process.
Pros:
- Flexible API options
- Strong support for SMS and voice communications
- Ease of integration
Cons:
- Video API features may not be as extensive as some competitors
- Pricing can be higher for certain services compared to alternatives
Supported Platforms:
Real-time Web Chat: Market Trends & Statistics
What does the market trends state about the need for web chat for internal team communication?
Various research studies consistently project the immense potential of real-time web messaging services in reshaping business communication strategies. Here are a few of them.
- Fact 1: First, Aircall’s 2018 survey highlights that a mere 17% of companies had, or were planning to integrate live web chat apps on their websites.
- Fact 2: Next, according to a survey by Bold 360, a huge shift was recognized by 71% of businesses worldwide, emphasizing the need for online chat apps on websites. The survey predicts that traditional communication channels would be overshadowed by chat solutions, positioning them as the primary mode of customer interaction by 2021.
- Fact 3: And finally, a comprehensive study reveals that 87% of companies successfully connected web chat APIs to engage with web visitors in real-time.
Among these companies, 61% acknowledged that real-time chat platforms for websites led to increased sales and conversions.
Additionally, 45% of businesses reported the ability to track visitors and initiate conversations, while 43% highlighted the enhanced customer support provided through web chat applications.
As these statistics indicate, adapting web chat solutions is not just an option, it’s a crucial step for businesses aiming to stay ahead in the dynamic landscape of customer interactions.
Now, Why Does Your Office Need A Web Chat App?
We could convince you with 100+ reasons, but here are some of the real-time examples of how web chats would impact your internal office communication.
Using a web chat app for building workplace communication apps, comes with a lot of benefits that you can actually imagine.
1. Your Team Can Communicate With Each Other Instantly
A few years back, the growth of a company was not as fast as now. The very first thing that changed was the ability to connect teams instantly.
When people are at the same location, they can talk to each other in-person. But imagine a business with clients and office branches overseas. Not a good idea to stare at the inbox awaiting for a reply, right?
This is the gap office chat apps bridge for companies now. People can connect with anyone, anytime and from anywhere, just with a click of a button.
2. Your Team Becomes Even More Effective
Teamwork is a core strength of any company. To bind them all as a pack, you need tools.
People can use them to connect with their colleagues easily and get things done as a team, far better than working with a communication gap.
3. It’s Easy To Share Documents
Gone are the days where people face the ‘file size exceeds the limit’ warning when rushing to send an important document. And there is also no need for uploading documents in storage drives and devices, and transferring them for hours.
Instant messaging apps make it all quick and easy. You can send or receive any size of files, and get them all done within a matter of few seconds.
4. Makes Your Team Bond With Each Other Easily
Having a team chat app, and belonging to groups, gives people a sense of belonging.
As they get included in conversations, they can feel more connected to the team. And it is true that this inclusive experience might reflect in the way people handle tasks as a team.
5. Many Ways To Collaborate
Instant messaging apps not only take care of communication via chat. They include video calling, voice calling, doc sharing, screen sharing and everything that you need in an office environment to run teams productively.
Rather than gathering people at a physical location, you can connect them all for quick meetings online, save time and get a lot of stuff done, rather than arranging for a meeting space and travel needs for people working remotely.
6. Your Customers Can Contact You Directly
Chat apps built exclusively for companies can also be a great medium to address customer queries directly.
Rather than users searching for ways to contact your business, or use a third-party tool, instant messaging apps can be the simplest way to get help directly from your team.
Key Features Of A Web Chat API
Chat apps these days are overflowing with surplus features. But office chat apps do not require all of them. You will only need professional features that’s essential for running your team effectively with clear communication capabilities.
- 1:1 & Group Chat: People can chat with other individuals in the team or with multiple people for project-related conversations.
- Video Conferencing: Teams can conduct online webinars and conferences easily, without the need for a third-party tool.
- Unlimited File Sharing: Users can share any size/ format of documents with their team members
- Topic-based Chat: First, what is a Topic-based chat? This feature lets you categorize and organize user conversations, to connect individuals with shared interests and passions.
- High-Quality Video Chat : Many web messaging services out there provide excellent video chat features, with options to share screen, mute/ unmute video, join via call links and enable speaking indicators.
- SIP/ VoIP Call: This feature in an office chat app enables users to make voice calls over the internet.
- Call Waiting: Eliminating customer wait times is crucial, especially during peak traffic hours. Web chat apps offer a solution to engage customers on hold effectively.
- Chat Analytics: An analytics feature in your web chat app enables you to track the count of chats in real-time and monitor other important metrics. This lets you optimize your brand engagement strategy and enhance the overall efficiency of your app.
- 100% Customization: The goal of customization is to create a consistent and professional image of the brand. And this extends to matching your website’s look and feel exactly the way you want. You can also customize your web chat with 100+ UI elements to make it more intuitive and user-friendly.
- End to End Encryption: End-to-end encryption on an online chat app uses a secret code instead of insecure plain text, enhancing the overall security of the communication across your organization.
Which Other Industries Use Web Chat?
Besides enterprise chat apps, almost all the industries in the commercial market rely on user conversion and retention. Let’s look at a few of the popular ones that’s driving immense user engagement with web chat.
1. Government and Public
If you are building an app for a Government or Public Sector, the first thing people expect is the safety and privacy of their data.
In this case, using a web chat API that comes with pre-built encryption protocols makes sure that only the authorized persons can access the chats sent and received.
What features can you build in a government/ public app?
- Private video calling
- Video conferencing
- Encrypted Messaging
- VoIP/SIP Calling
- Channel & Groups
2. Schools & Universities
Web chat is also popular among schools and universities after the Covid era. When it comes to building apps for students, organizations tend to be more careful.
Be it features, or security, the institutions need to choose APIs that are both interactive and safe for students.
What features can you build in an EdTech app?
- Whiteboard teaching
- Host seminars, webinars
- One-to-one virtual calling
- File sharing
3. Cryptocurrency Exchanges
When crypto profiles need to connect, they can message each other, provided they are verified by the authentication mechanism implemented by web chat API.
You can also provide built-in wallets for verified profiles, so they can carry out payment processes without the need for a third-party payment gateway.
What features can you build in a Cryptocurrency app?
- Virtual Cryptocurrency Exchange
- Profile chat
- Real-time market data share
- Create Groups & Channels
4. Travel & Tourism
People getting on a trip can use a dedicated app belonging to the tourism agency.
This way, travelers can communicate with the support team at any time and from any device. This makes traveling a guided experience, with options to get help whenever they want.
What features can you build in a travel app?
- Real-time Chat with customers
- Virtual Support
- Be available 24×7
- Built-in Notifications
5. Broadcasting & Streaming
Streaming is everywhere these days. But imagine a business streaming happening on a common social app where there is only a B2C audience. Might turn the experience a bit gross, right?
This is where businesses can build their own web chat apps to give a more focused and personalized experience, allowing relevant people to make meaningful conversations. Similarly for entertainment related streaming, brands can build their own web streaming apps with chat and drive relevant audience.
What features can you build in a streaming app?
- Profanity Filters
- Moderation controls
- Live Polls & Q&A
- Open & Private Channels
The Best Web Chat API: Editor’s Take
Well, if you’ve come this far, we really see your interest in building web chat apps for your team communication. Now, if you have confusions in choosing the best web chat API, here is our recommendation:
The web chat API you choose must have modern features that your users expect, plus it must be secure and customizable.
We tested all these APIs across 27 different MVPs, and we’d go with 2 options: MirrorFly and Apphitect. Reasons? They are extremely easy to integrate. We were able to build an MVP in just 10 mins on top of a sample app. Plus, they are both customizable and white-label. Any brand could simply grab these APIs, integrate them and launch a fully branded app within a matter of a few hours.
Now, it is your turn, if you’ve used any of these APIs, leave in the comments below about your experience, or if you need more information on any specific API, let us know, our team will jump right into research and get you the details.
Until then, happy development!
Frequently Asked Questions:
API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of protocols or tools that are programmed to communicate with two software components with each other.
SDK, a Software Development Kit, is a set of development tools allowing developers to build software for a particular program.
In a web chat, APIs and SDKs bring complete pre-built chat capabilities with easy integration and customization.
Building a web chat using APIs eliminates the high-end infrastructure, resources and time with pre-built communication capabilities. MirrorFly chat API is a leading white-label provider with 1000+ in-app features and high customization.
Yes, web communication or web chat API is entirely customizable. But it depends on the API providers. White-label web chat API providers like MirrorFly offer complete customization and custom branding.
As enterprise businesses are in demand for both internal and external communication mediums, web chat API collectively combines all communication capabilities without any infrastructure investment.
Web messaging API can integrate with a wide range of platforms, including
1. Web Browsers
2. Web-Based Application
3. Hybrid Mobile Apps
4. Desktop Applications
You can potentially use web messaging API in other third-party chat platforms.
Yes, web chat API providers like MirrorFly offer custom security, which includes end-to-end encryption, enterprise-grade privacy, region-based regulations, and custom admin controls to ensure all users’ data is protected.
