Viber

Overview

Founded in 2010 by Talmon Marco and Igor Magazinnik, with its headquarters now in Luxembourg, Viber was acquired by Japan's Rakuten Group in 2014 for USD 900 million. Viber is a leading instant messaging and calling app with over 1 billion registered users and about 260 million monthly active users, holding a strong user base in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Viber's core product is a cross-platform messaging app with end-to-end encryption by default, covering iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux, and supporting text messaging, voice calls, video calls, group chats, and Communities. Beyond core messaging, Viber offers low-cost international calling through Viber Out and serves business customers through Viber Business Messages and the Business API, forming a complete "personal messaging + business messaging" ecosystem. For teams expanding into Eastern European and Middle Eastern markets, Viber is an important channel to connect directly with local users.

Key Strengths

• Large and focused user base: With over 1 billion registered users and about 260 million monthly active users, Viber has high penetration in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Brands targeting these markets can reach high-intent local users and complement channels with limited coverage.
• End-to-end encryption by default: Messages, voice, and video calls are encrypted by default with AES-256 and device-generated keys, so the server cannot decrypt content. For privacy-sensitive cross-border teams, Viber provides a security baseline out of the box, and can be reinforced with solutions from the security category.
• Free calls plus low-cost international calling: HD voice and video calls are free between Viber users, while Viber Out calls global landlines and mobiles at rates well below traditional operators, ideal for small teams with international contacts that need to control communication costs.
• Community-based scaled engagement: Viber Communities support thousands of members online at once, offering announcements, topic discussions, and member management, making them a low-cost tool for brand fan operations and notifications.
• Business messaging and API capabilities: Viber Business Messages supports interactive messages, transaction alerts, and customer service conversations; the Business API lets developers integrate auto-replies, chatbots, and customer service systems, and combined with automation workflows it can reduce customer service staffing costs.

Product Ecosystem

Viber Instant Messaging

Viber's cross-platform messaging app is the core product, supporting text, images, video, voice, and file transfers with end-to-end encryption by default. Group chats serve daily collaboration, while Communities handle large-scale topic discussions and announcements with thousands of members online at once, making them the main venue for personal messaging and community operations.

Viber Out International Calling

Viber Out is a low-cost international calling service. After purchasing credits, users can call any global landline or mobile over the internet at rates significantly below traditional operator roaming. For teams that frequently talk to overseas clients and suppliers, Viber Out is a predictable cost-saving option.

Viber Business Messages

An official messaging channel for businesses supporting interactive messages, transaction confirmations, order notifications, and customer service conversations. It helps businesses establish trackable official contact with users through Viber, and suits industries that require transaction notifications such as e-commerce, finance, and travel.

Viber Business API

An enterprise communication API for developers supporting bots, auto-replies, and customer service system integration. Developers can embed Viber messaging capabilities into their own systems and combine them with automation and content management scenarios to build message-driven business workflows.

Limitations

• Not usable in mainland China: Viber does not provide official service in mainland China and cannot be accessed directly from the domestic network, so cross-border teams need additional compliant channels, adding multi-channel management complexity.
• User scale and ecosystem lag behind leaders: With about 260 million monthly active users, Viber is far smaller than WhatsApp (over 2 billion MAU) and Telegram (over 900 million MAU), and its business messaging ecosystem, third-party developers, and surrounding tools are significantly fewer, limiting ecosystem benefits.
• Pay-per-use international calling: Viber Out requires prepaid credits billed per minute, so sustained high-volume calling generates ongoing costs that are less predictable than subscriptions, requiring budget-conscious teams to plan ahead.
• Paid enterprise features: Business Messages, Business API, and advertising capabilities require paid plans. The free version targets individual consumers, so enterprises should evaluate total cost before scaling usage.

Use Cases

• Reaching Eastern European / Middle Eastern / Southeast Asian markets (★★★★★): With high local penetration, Viber is an important channel for brands to connect directly with local users.
• Privacy-sensitive cross-border communication （★★★★☆）: End-to-end encryption by default suits teams with strict content security requirements and can be combined with security hardening solutions.
• Personal messaging and low-cost international calls （★★★★☆）: Free HD calls plus low-cost Viber Out calling suit daily communication for individuals and small teams.
• Brand community and fan operations （★★★★☆）: Communities support thousands of members, suitable for brand announcements, fan interaction, and notifications.
• Businesses targeting mainland China users （★☆☆☆☆）: Unavailable in mainland China; such businesses should choose compliant domestic communication platforms.

Pricing

Viber's instant messaging, voice, and video calls for individual users are free, with revenue mainly from value-added services:

Note: Viber Out rates vary by destination; refer to the official website for real-time pricing. Enterprise services require a formal quote from the Viber business team.

FAQ

• Is Viber free? Instant messaging, voice, and video calls between individual users are free. Calling international landlines and mobiles requires Viber Out credits billed per minute. Enterprise Business Messages and API require paid plans; see SaaS billing best practices.

• How do I choose between Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram? All three offer encrypted messaging but with different focuses: WhatsApp has the largest user base (over 2 billion MAU), Telegram excels at channels and bots, and Viber has a unique user base in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Choose based on target market user habits; compare WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal for further evaluation.

• Can Viber be used in mainland China? No. Viber does not provide official service in mainland China and cannot be accessed directly from the domestic network. Businesses targeting domestic users should choose compliant domestic communication platforms; see team communication tools.

• Are Viber calls and messages secure? Yes. Viber applies end-to-end encryption by default to messages, voice, and video calls, with keys generated on user devices so the server cannot decrypt content; see data encryption practices.

• What businesses suit Viber business messaging? Industries that need an official messaging channel to reach users, such as e-commerce transaction notifications, financial verification, travel reminders, and customer service conversations. Developers can integrate with their own systems via the Viber Business API and combine it with automation tools to build message-driven operations; see API integration basics.