Viber Review

Viber is a free messaging and calling app that lets you send texts, share photos and files, and make voice and video calls over the internet to anyone else who has it installed. It launched in 2010, is owned by the Japanese group Rakuten, and competes with WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and Messenger. This review explains what Viber actually does, how secure it really is, what Viber Out costs you for calls to ordinary phone numbers, and who in New Zealand is likely to find it useful.

What is Viber?

Viber is an over-the-top (OTT) communication app, meaning it carries your messages and calls over your existing internet connection rather than through a phone network. It was created by Viber Media, a company founded by Talmon Marco, and first appeared on the iPhone in December 2010 as a simple way to call and text other Viber users for free. The core promise has not changed: if two people both have the app, talking and messaging between them costs nothing beyond the data you use.

In February 2014 the Japanese e-commerce and internet group Rakuten bought Viber Media for US$900 million, and the product now trades as Rakuten Viber. Rakuten funds and develops the app, which is why you will see Viber integrated with other Rakuten services such as payments in some countries.

Viber is one of the larger messaging platforms in the world. The company has reported well over a billion registered accounts (roughly 1.3 billion by the early 2020s), and independent estimates put monthly active users somewhere in the hundreds of millions. Those figures are estimates rather than audited numbers, but they make the point clearly enough: Viber is a mainstream app, not a niche one. It is especially popular in parts of Eastern Europe and South-East Asia, which is often why New Zealanders install it — to keep in touch with family or contacts overseas.

Is Viber open source?

No. Viber is proprietary, closed-source software owned and controlled by Rakuten. You cannot inspect, modify or rebuild the app’s code, and no independent developers can audit exactly how it handles your data. Like almost every modern app, Viber uses some open-source building blocks internally — for example, standard libraries for audio, video and networking — but that is ordinary engineering, not a feature that sets Viber apart. Using an open-source component is very different from being an open-source product.

This matters for one reason: privacy. When security researchers want to be certain a messenger keeps its promises, they prefer apps whose code can be independently reviewed. Among the big messengers, privacy-focused apps such as Signal publish their source and encryption code openly, while Viber and WhatsApp do not. Viber’s encryption is based on the same well-regarded design principles as Signal’s, but you are trusting Rakuten’s word that it is implemented correctly rather than being able to verify it yourself. For most everyday chatting that trade-off is perfectly reasonable; for highly sensitive communication it is worth knowing.

How secure is Viber?

Viber encrypts your personal chats and calls end-to-end by default, which is genuinely good for a mainstream app — but the protection does not cover every part of the service. Understanding exactly what is and is not encrypted is the single most important thing to know before you rely on Viber for anything private.

What end-to-end encryption covers

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) means a message is scrambled on your device and can only be unscrambled on the recipient’s device; nobody in between — including Viber itself — can read it. Viber turned E2EE on by default in 2016 (from app version 6.0) and it applies automatically to one-to-one chats, group chats, and one-to-one voice and video calls. The encryption keys are stored only on the devices involved, not on Viber’s servers, so Viber cannot hand over the content of these conversations even if asked.

What is not encrypted end-to-end

Several popular parts of Viber are not covered by end-to-end encryption, and this is where many users are caught out. According to Viber’s own help documentation, the following are not end-to-end encrypted: Communities (large public-style groups), Channels (one-to-many broadcasts), chats with chatbots, group voice and video calls, and Viber Out calls to ordinary phone numbers. Treat anything you post in a Community or Channel as semi-public, and do not assume a group call carries the same protection a one-to-one call does.

Secret Chats, Hidden Chats and Disappearing Messages

On top of standard encryption, Viber offers three extra privacy tools that are easy to confuse:

• Disappearing Messages: set a timer (seconds up to days) on a regular one-to-one chat so each message deletes itself after it has been seen. This feature moved out of Secret Chats and into ordinary chats in 2020.
• Secret Chats: a stricter mode where messages self-destruct, cannot be forwarded, and screenshots are either blocked or trigger a notification to the other person.
• Hidden Chats: move a conversation out of your main chat list so it only appears after you enter a PIN. This hides a chat from someone glancing at your phone, but it is not extra encryption.

Viber also lets you block and report unwanted contacts and spam, control who can add you to groups, and manage what personal information other people can see. None of this removes the need for basic digital hygiene: use a strong screen lock, keep the app updated, and store the account PIN in a password manager rather than reusing an easy-to-guess number.

Viber’s main features

Beyond private chat, Viber is a broad communication suite. Here is what you actually get.

Messaging and media

You can send text, photos, videos, voice messages, documents and your location, react with emoji, and decorate conversations with Viber’s large library of stickers and GIFs. Messages sync across your devices, and you get read receipts and typing indicators as you would expect.

Voice and video calls

Viber-to-Viber voice and video calls are free and use your data connection. Call quality is generally good on a stable connection, but like any internet call it depends on your bandwidth and latency. If calls stutter or drop, it is almost always the network rather than the app — it is worth running a quick broadband speed test and, on a busy home network, enabling Quality of Service (QoS) on your router so calls are prioritised over downloads. For regular video calls from home, a dedicated webcam and decent lighting make a bigger difference than the app itself.

Communities and Channels

Communities are large group chats that can hold very large numbers of members with admin controls, useful for clubs, interest groups and local organisations. Channels are a one-to-many broadcast format where a creator posts updates to followers. Both are powerful for reaching an audience, but remember they are not end-to-end encrypted.

Viber Out: calling ordinary phone numbers

Viber Out is the paid service that lets you call any mobile or landline — even if the other person does not use Viber — at per-minute rates. You either buy prepaid credit or take out a calling subscription, then dial normally from the app. Rates vary by destination country and change over time, so check the current price inside the app or on Viber’s rates page before you rely on a figure. Viber Out calls are not end-to-end encrypted, because the call has to connect to the ordinary telephone network. For a home line replacement or business calling, a dedicated VoIP provider is usually a better fit than Viber Out.

Viber Pay, Lens and other extras

In a limited set of markets Viber Pay lets users send money and make payments inside the app, and newer features such as Viber Lens (augmented-reality camera effects built with Snap’s tools) have rolled out region by region. Many of these extras are not available everywhere, including New Zealand, so do not assume a feature you read about globally is switched on here.

Desktop and multi-device

Viber has full desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux that sync with your phone, so you can type from a keyboard and take calls at your computer. The catch is that Viber is tied to a single phone number and, historically, one active mobile device — the desktop app is a companion to your phone rather than a fully independent second phone.

How Viber compares with WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram

Viber sits in the middle of the messaging pack: more private than Telegram’s default chats, less audited than Signal, and smaller in New Zealand than WhatsApp. The table below compares the headline differences that actually affect your choice.

The practical takeaway: if your contacts are already on WhatsApp, Viber will not replace it. Viber earns its place when you need to reach people in countries where it is the local standard, when you want cheap international calls to landlines via Viber Out, or when you value its Communities. If your priority is verifiable privacy above all else, Signal is the stronger choice.

Using Viber in New Zealand

Viber works normally in New Zealand on mobile data or Wi-Fi, and it is a popular way for Kiwis to stay in touch with family overseas. A one-to-one voice call uses modest data (broadly in the order of half a megabyte per minute), while video uses several times that, so if you are on a capped mobile plan keep an eye on usage or call over Wi-Fi.

For calling New Zealand landlines and mobiles from the app, Viber Out works but is billed per minute and is aimed at international calling rather than being a home-phone replacement. If you want to drop your copper line or run a business phone system, a proper VoIP service with a local number and plan is usually cheaper and more capable than Viber Out. Either way, call quality rides on your connection, so a solid router and Wi-Fi setup matter more than which app you pick.

How to get started with Viber

Setting up Viber takes only a few minutes, and your phone number is your account. The basic steps are the same on Android and iPhone:

• Install the app from the Google Play Store, the Apple App Store or Viber’s official download page — avoid unofficial copies, which can be tampered with.
• Verify your phone number. Viber texts you a one-time code to confirm the number; that number becomes your identity on the service.
• Allow contact access if you want Viber to show which of your existing contacts already use it. You can skip this and add people manually if you would rather not share your address book.
• Set a PIN under the privacy settings to protect your account and to use Hidden Chats.
• Link the desktop app (optional) by scanning a QR code with your phone, so you can message and call from a computer.

Once you are set up, start a chat or tap the call button on any contact who also has Viber — those messages and calls are free and encrypted. To call a normal phone number, top up Viber Out credit first. If you later switch phones, use Viber’s account transfer process before wiping the old device, because chat history that is not backed up can be lost when you move numbers or reinstall.

Common mistakes and things to watch

Most problems with Viber come from assuming it behaves like another app, or from leaving default settings untouched. The frequent traps are worth avoiding before they bite.

• Assuming everything is private. One-to-one chats and calls are encrypted end-to-end, but Communities, Channels, bot chats, group calls and Viber Out are not. Do not share anything sensitive in a public-style group.
• Confusing Hidden Chats with encryption. Hiding a chat behind a PIN only keeps it off your main list; it does not add security to the messages themselves.
• Forgetting Viber Out is metered. Calls to non-Viber numbers cost money per minute and rates change, so check the current rate rather than relying on an old figure.
• Not setting a PIN. Set a Viber PIN for account protection and store it safely; without it, account recovery and Hidden Chats are weaker.
• Ignoring spam controls. Like all large platforms, Viber attracts spam and scam messages. Use block and report, and be wary of links from unknown Channels or accounts.
• Expecting regional features. Viber Pay and some newer tools are market-specific and may not be available in New Zealand.

Who Viber suits

Viber is a good fit if you regularly contact people overseas who already use it, if you want free encrypted one-to-one chats and calls without paying anything, or if you need occasional cheap international calls to landlines through Viber Out. It is also handy for running or following large Communities and Channels.

It is a weaker fit if everyone you talk to is already on WhatsApp (you will just be adding another app), if you need audited, source-available privacy (choose Signal), or if you want a full business phone line (choose a dedicated VoIP provider). For most New Zealanders, Viber is best thought of as a free, secure-enough second messenger for international contacts rather than a daily driver.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Viber free to use?

Yes. Downloading Viber and sending messages or making voice and video calls to other Viber users is free; you only pay for the mobile data or Wi-Fi you use. The only paid part is Viber Out, which charges per-minute rates to call ordinary mobile and landline numbers that are not on Viber.

Is Viber safe and encrypted?

Viber encrypts one-to-one chats, group chats and one-to-one voice and video calls end-to-end by default, so Viber itself cannot read them. However, Communities, Channels, bot chats, group calls and Viber Out calls are not end-to-end encrypted, so avoid sharing sensitive information in those.

Who owns Viber?

Viber is owned by Rakuten, a Japanese internet and e-commerce group that bought Viber Media for US$900 million in February 2014. The app is now branded Rakuten Viber and is developed and funded by Rakuten.

Is Viber open source?

No. Viber is proprietary, closed-source software. It may use some open-source libraries internally, as most apps do, but the app itself cannot be independently inspected or rebuilt. If open, auditable code is important to you, Signal is the main messenger that publishes its source.

What is the difference between Viber and Viber Out?

Viber is the free app for messaging and calling other Viber users over the internet. Viber Out is a paid add-on that lets you call any mobile or landline number worldwide, including people who do not use Viber, using prepaid credit or a subscription.