The 5 Best iMessage Apps and Extensions in 2019

Energize your iPhone or iPad with these cool extras

Hand holding an iPhone and using the iMessage app

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by Brenna Miles
Brenna Miles is a freelance technology writer with a B.A. in Business Management and HR Management. She's been writing about technology for 6+ years.
Updated September 18, 2019
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Everyone knows some of the best conversations between friends and family happen in iMessage, the text messaging app for iPhone and iPad. Even if you're a proud iMessage user, there are some hidden iMessage app and extension gems you can use to energize and simplify your conversations.

01
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Best App for When a Song Says It All: Spotify

Using the Spotify iMessage app to send a song via text

What We Like

  • Send any song in the Spotify library.

  • Search for your song without ever leaving the app.

  • Play music inside the iMessage app.

What We Don't Like

  • Song only plays for 30 seconds.

  • You must open the Spotify app to listen to the song in its entirety.

  • Other media types, such as Podcasts, can't be sent.

Sometimes it takes a song to say what you want to say. Whether you're trying to send that latest track you've had on repeat or that special song to your special someone, the Spotify extension can help.

All you have to do is download the Spotify app to your device. You can then use the app inside iMessage. Use the search bar to look for songs by song name or even artist. Once you make your selection, Spotify will send a 30 second clip to the recipient of your message.

02
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Best App for When You Need to Send Cash Fast: Venmo

Using Venmo iMessage app to request cash

What We Like

  • Send cash or request cash without ever leaving iMessage.

  • View your Venmo cash balance inside the iMessage app.

  • Change single payment privacy settings while in iMessage.

What We Don't Like

  • You can't view your payment history without opening the Venmo app.

  • You can't transfer your balance without opening the Venmo app.

  • Want to see transactions made by your friends? You'll need to open the app.

Venmo is known for its fast and easy mobile payment system, and paying your friends and receiving cash is even easier with the Venmo extension for iMessage.

Using the Venmo app, you can send or request cash without ever leaving the conversation, and also check your Venmo balance. Simply decide whether you're sending or receiving, enter the amount and you're ready to go.

03
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Best App for When a Picture's Worth a Thousand Words: Giphy

Using Giphy iMessage app to send a GIF via text

What We Like

  • Find thousands of GIFs to fit any mood.

  • Easily search for your favorite GIF using the search feature.

  • Send text images, emojis and more using Giphy.

  • Create your own GIFs inside the iMessage app.

What We Don't Like

  • The extension offers so much that it's a bit overwhelming.

  • Must have a Giphy account to save favorites for later use.

  • May run a bit slower than other apps.

If a picture's worth a thousand words, a GIF must be worth a million. The GIPHY extension for iMessage allows you to send your favorite GIFs to your friends and family, without the need to open the GIPHY app.

That's not all. You can also search through text and emojis to send and even create your own GIFs while inside the app. Although you'll need a GIPHY account to save your favorite GIFs for future use, it's worth it.

04
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Best App for When You Must Decide Where You're Having Brunch: Who's In

Using the Who's In iMessage app to schedule a lunch date via text

What We Like

  • Easily allow your friends and family to vote on where to go.

  • Find local restaurants, movie theaters, and more automatically.

  • Create your own custom activity inside the iMessage app.

What We Don't Like

  • For locations outside of nearby range, you'll need to know the name of the place you're suggesting. This isn't a fully functioning search feature.

  • For other unique events, you may need to create your own event, which takes extra time.

  • The voting results are quite small inside the app window.

"Where do you want to eat?" is a question that often goes unanswered, causing pandemonium in your messages. Put an end to "whatever is fine with me" by downloading the Who's In app for iMessage.

You can easily create events by selecting from local restaurants, movies playing nearby, and more. Simply select where you want to go, pick a time, and send. Your message recipients will simply tap the message to vote whether they're in or out.

05
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Best App for When You Need to Text in Another Language: iTranslate

Using the iTranslate app on iMessage to translate an outgoing text

What We Like

  • Translate texts using over 100 languages.

  • Choose from three different layouts, including QWERTY, AZERTY, and QWERTZ to fit your needs.

  • Flag icons show you which translation belongs to which language.

What We Don't Like

  • Must be online to use iTranslate. The offline version is only available with a Pro subscription.

  • Voice translation is only available with a Pro subscription.

  • To use features like the handy Phrasebook, you’ll have to open the iTranslate app.

Whether you're traveling abroad or simply need to have a translation tool on hand, iTranslate is a great option, especially for use with iMessage.

Inside iMessage, the iTranslate extension allows you to translate your text into over 100 different languages. Simply select the language you wish to translate to and create your message. iTranslate does the rest, leaving you with a fully translated message, ready to send.

Some features, such as offline access and the ability to use your camera to translate menus and signs (in the iTranslate app), are only available with a Pro subscription, which will cost you $49.99 per year.