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Webinars · head to head

BlueJeans vs Messenger

B

BlueJeans

Webinars

Connected through Verizon

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Messenger logo

Messenger

Communication

Meta's standalone messaging app for Facebook, with end to end encryption on by default since 2023

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Messenger has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BlueJeans shut down. Verizon announced the closure on 8 August 2023 and wound the service down through the first half of 2024, starting with the Basic tier and free trials on 31 August 2023; Messenger while message content is end-to-end encrypted by default since December 2023, metadata such as who messaged whom and when is not encrypted and remains visible to Meta.
  • They diverge on capability: BlueJeans covers HD and 4K video, Messenger covers End-to-end encrypted chats.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BlueJeans and Messenger actually diverge.

Attributes where BlueJeans and Messenger differ
AttributeBlueJeansMessenger
Starting price$10/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree, funded by Meta's advertising business
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
CategoryWebinarsCommunication
Founded1983Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BlueJeans

  • HD and 4K video
  • Audio conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Recording and playback
  • Chat and messaging
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Hand raising
  • Breakout rooms

Only in Messenger

  • End-to-end encrypted chats
  • Voice and video calling
  • Marketplace messaging
  • Disappearing messages
  • Cross-app chat with Instagram
  • Business messaging

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BlueJeans

  • Enterprise meetingsnot Messenger
  • Healthcare consultationsnot Messenger
  • Financial servicesnot Messenger
  • Government communicationsnot Messenger
  • Large eventsnot Messenger

Messenger

  • Messaging friends and family who primarily use Facebook rather than a phone number based appnot BlueJeans
  • Coordinating a buy or sell exchange through Facebook Marketplace messagingnot BlueJeans
  • Making free video or voice calls to contacts without needing their phone numbernot BlueJeans
  • Messaging a business through its Facebook Page for customer servicenot BlueJeans

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BlueJeans

  • Shut down. Verizon announced the closure on 8 August 2023 and wound the service down through the first half of 2024, starting with the Basic tier and free trials on 31 August 2023
  • bluejeans.com no longer resolves
  • Verizon bought it for $400 million in 2020 and closed it citing a changing market, so there is no successor product to move to within the same vendor

Messenger

  • While message content is end-to-end encrypted by default since December 2023, metadata such as who messaged whom and when is not encrypted and remains visible to Meta.
  • Full functionality generally assumes a linked Facebook account, which ties messaging to a broader social profile many users would rather keep separate.
  • Cloud chat backups, if enabled, are protected by a PIN the user sets, and losing that PIN without a recovery key can mean losing access to backed-up chat history.
  • As a Meta product, its business model depends on the surrounding Meta advertising ecosystem, and account-level data outside message content still feeds that system.
  • Group chat and calling features have historically launched later or with more limitations on Messenger than on some competing apps built encryption-first from the start.

Pricing, plan by plan

BlueJeans

$10/month
  • Essentials$10/month
    • 100 participants
    • HD video
    • Screen sharing
  • Pro$15/month
    • 300 participants
    • 4K video
    • Virtual backgrounds
  • Business$20/month
    • 500 participants
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced security
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited participants
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated account team

Messenger

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited messaging, calling and group chats
    • No subscription tier

Which should you pick?

Choose BlueJeans if

  • You need hd and 4k video.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want audio conferencing.
BlueJeans review

Choose Messenger if

  • You need end-to-end encrypted chats.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want voice and video calling.
Messenger review

Questions people ask

Is BlueJeans or Messenger better?
Neither clearly leads. BlueJeans starts at $10/month and Messenger at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BlueJeans or Messenger?
Messenger has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/month for BlueJeans and Free for Messenger.
Does BlueJeans or Messenger run on more platforms?
BlueJeans runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Messenger runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Messenger for free?
Yes. Messenger has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BlueJeans starts at $10/month.
What is BlueJeans best used for?
BlueJeans is most often used for enterprise meetings, healthcare consultations, financial services, government communications. Of those, enterprise meetings and healthcare consultations are not what Messenger is typically brought in for.
What can BlueJeans do that Messenger cannot?
BlueJeans covers HD and 4K video, Audio conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording and playback. Messenger covers End-to-end encrypted chats, Voice and video calling, Marketplace messaging, Disappearing messages.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Messenger: Is Messenger encrypted by default now?

Yes, since December 2023 personal chats and calls are end-to-end encrypted by default, moving on from the earlier opt-in Secret Conversations mode.

Messenger: What can Meta still see if chats are encrypted?

Metadata such as who is messaging whom, when, and group membership is not encrypted and remains visible to Meta, even though message content is.

Messenger: Do I need a Facebook account to use Messenger?

In some markets Messenger can be used with just a phone number, but most features assume a linked Facebook account.

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