Messenger: Text Messages, SMS

The app automatically combines SMS and internet-based messages from the same contact into a single conversation thread. This saves you from switching between separate apps for texts and in-app messages, which is especially useful for managing professional and personal chats in one place.

Yes, the read receipts are reliable and show exact timestamps of when your message was read. This can be helpful for resolving disputes, such as proving a vendor saw your message at a specific time, as mentioned in the review.

Notification delays of up to 20 minutes have been reported, likely due to the app's background sync issues. Try restarting your phone or checking your notification settings, but if the problem persists, consider using your carrier's default SMS app for time-sensitive messages.

The backup and restore feature can be unreliable, as some users lose chat history despite following prompts. To minimize risk, manually export your chat logs before switching devices, and contact support only as a last resort since responses may be slow and unhelpful.

Messenger offers useful features like merged SMS and internet chats, read receipts, and customization, but it suffers from notification delays and battery drain that carrier apps typically avoid. For professional use where reliability is critical, the default SMS app may be more dependable for timely message delivery.