Flock vs. Signal Open Source Messenger

Flock provides a casual as well as professional approach. Prevents the hassles of communicating over phones. Once logged out the employee will not be disturbed after work hours. All the information, messages, and data that have been communicated to date are secure & can be accessed anytime. A great channel to pass on information to all the employees within an instant.

Incentivized

Signal is great for high-security applications where privacy is a concern, perhaps because of the sensitive nature of the materials being communicated. For instance, if you are sending sensitive information about a film that hasn't been released yet, and you want to make sure that paparazzi and fans don't get access to spoiler information, Signal is a great way to communicate.

Incentivized

• Real-time communication is perfect.
• The mobile apps really let us take everything on the go.
• It integrates perfectly with our calendar.

Incentivized

• Encryption end to end
• Audio quality
• Ability to permanently delete messages and history

Incentivized

• Flock's video and audio quality is sometimes poor as a result of poor internet connectivity
• It has a messaging limit of 10,000 messages which makes it hard for us to keep messages for future reference

Incentivized

• Update Hassle - While this is also a positive in added security, every time they release an update to the app, you have to update. Since I only use the app occasionally, I have to update probably 1-in-4 times I open the app. It feels laborious as I will sometimes want to send a friend or colleague a message, who only uses Signal, and I open the app to message them and suddenly have to wait 2-4 minutes to update and install the new version.
• Not Getting Messages - You also no longer send and receive messages until you update. So if you have an outdated version of the app, nobody can get ahold of you and they might not know why you aren't responding.
• Re-Sync Via QR Code After Update - Every time I update, I have to re-sync my mobile app to the desktop. So it adds another added step. The forced updates and forced resync steps are quite laborious.

Incentivized

The user interface is fantastic and that makes it easier for all the users

Incentivized

We've only needed customer support a few times with Flock (mainly concerning app integration and security), and they've always been timely and helpful, which are the only things I truly need from support. The response rate was still rapid, and there's plenty of support available online as well for Flock.

Incentivized

You don't really need support as the app just works. In the two plus years I've been using Signal, I've never needed to even look at support documentation to learn how to do something or have the app work. It just does. The best support is not needing to use it, and Signal meets that standard.

Incentivized

I did not like Google Hangouts. Hangouts is more geared toward personal communication instead of business related communication. Flock is also a lot easier to use and has more options related to a business setting.

Incentivized

The closest competitor we've found for Signal is Telegram. We do use Telegram with some clients and individuals who prefer it. Unfortunately, in this climate where there is no clear winner and a lot of diversity in applications, if you work with a lot of clients you're going to have to install a whole suite of instant messaging apps. Still, given the choice, we prefer Signal over its competitors, specifically for applications where high security is a concern.

Incentivized

• It did provide a creative space for conversation and this does equal a great return on investment, considering the investment is free for the base use.
• For the team members who enjoyed using it, it helped them save time in their day by having a repository for notes and creative ideas.

Incentivized

• I reach people who I need to more quickly.
• It is a free service.
• It provides my clients confidence in keeping things confidential that need to be.

Incentivized