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Communication · head to head

KakaoTalk vs Viber

KakaoTalk logo

KakaoTalk

Communication

The default messaging app in South Korea, bundled with payments, taxi hailing and other Kakao services

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Viber logo

Viber

Communication

Messaging app with its strongest user base in Eastern Europe and the Philippines, owned by Japans Rakuten

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: KakaoTalk kakaoTalk has minimal relevance outside South Korea, so it is the wrong tool for reaching audiences anywhere else.; Viber viber has limited relevance outside its strong regions, so building a communication strategy around it in North America or most of Western Europe reaches almost nobody.
  • They diverge on capability: KakaoTalk covers Plus Friend business accounts, Viber covers End to end encryption.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KakaoTalk and Viber actually diverge.

Attributes where KakaoTalk and Viber differ
AttributeKakaoTalkViber
Pricing modelFree to download, paid emoticons, gifting and business messagingFree to download, paid business messaging and out calls to landlines and mobiles

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Communication).

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 KakaoTalk

  • Plus Friend business accounts
  • KakaoPay integration
  • Gift sending
  • KakaoT integration
  • Emoticons
  • Open chat

Only in Viber

  • End to end encryption
  • Communities
  • Viber Business Messages
  • Free calling
  • Self-destructing messages
  • Rakuten integration

What people use each for

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

KakaoTalk

  • A business entering the South Korean consumer market that needs a Plus Friend account to message customersnot Viber
  • An individual living in South Korea who needs the app almost everyone else there uses by defaultnot Viber
  • A brand running a digital gifting campaign through KakaoTalk during a Korean holiday periodnot Viber
  • A company integrating KakaoPay as a checkout option for Korean customersnot Viber

Viber

  • A business communicating with customers in Eastern Europe or the Philippines where Viber, not WhatsApp, is the default appnot KakaoTalk
  • An individual making cheap international calls to family in a Viber-strong market before switching entirely to data callingnot KakaoTalk
  • A brand running a Community channel to reach an established Viber audience in a specific countrynot KakaoTalk
  • Someone wanting end to end encrypted chat on by default without configuring anythingnot KakaoTalk

Where each one falls short

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

KakaoTalk

  • KakaoTalk has minimal relevance outside South Korea, so it is the wrong tool for reaching audiences anywhere else.
  • Standard chats are not end to end encrypted by default; a Secret Chat mode with encryption exists but must be turned on per conversation.
  • Concentration of messaging, payments, banking and mobility data inside one company creates a single point of both convenience and risk that has drawn scrutiny from Korean regulators.
  • Plus Friend business messaging costs scale with volume, so a company messaging its full Korean customer base regularly can face a meaningful recurring bill.
  • A 2022 data centre fire caused a multi-day outage across KakaoTalk and related Kakao services, which showed how much everyday activity in Korea depends on a single provider staying online.

Viber

  • Viber has limited relevance outside its strong regions, so building a communication strategy around it in North America or most of Western Europe reaches almost nobody.
  • Ownership by Rakuten ties the app to a commerce and points ecosystem, and account data can be linked to Rakuten services in markets where that integration is active.
  • Business Messages pricing is metered per message, so a company sending high volumes of promotional content can find costs rise quickly compared with a flat fee model.
  • Viber has lost share even in some of its historically strong markets to Telegram and WhatsApp, so its regional dominance is not guaranteed to persist.
  • The desktop client depends on the phone app remaining active and connected, which is a limitation for anyone wanting a fully independent desktop messenger.

Pricing, plan by plan

KakaoTalk

Free
  • KakaoTalkFree
    • Free messaging and calling
    • Emoticon packs typically cost a few thousand won each
    • Plus Friend business messaging is billed per message beyond a free allowance

Viber

Free
  • ViberFree
    • Free messaging and calling between Viber users
    • Viber Out charges per minute for calls to non-Viber phone numbers
    • Business Messages priced per message sent to businesses on a metered basis

Which should you pick?

Choose KakaoTalk if

  • You need plus friend business accounts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want kakaopay integration.
KakaoTalk review

Choose Viber if

  • You need end to end encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want communities.
Viber review

Questions people ask

Is KakaoTalk or Viber better?
Neither clearly leads. KakaoTalk starts at Free and Viber at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KakaoTalk or Viber?
KakaoTalk starts at Free and Viber at Free.
Does KakaoTalk or Viber run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use KakaoTalk for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is KakaoTalk best used for?
KakaoTalk is most often used for a business entering the south korean consumer market that needs a plus friend account to message customers, an individual living in south korea who needs the app almost everyone else there uses by default, a brand running a digital gifting campaign through kakaotalk during a korean holiday period, a company integrating kakaopay as a checkout option for korean customers. Of those, a business entering the south korean consumer market that needs a plus friend account to message customers and an individual living in south korea who needs the app almost everyone else there uses by default are not what Viber is typically brought in for.
What can KakaoTalk do that Viber cannot?
KakaoTalk covers Plus Friend business accounts, KakaoPay integration, Gift sending, KakaoT integration. Viber covers End to end encryption, Communities, Viber Business Messages, Free calling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

KakaoTalk: Is KakaoTalk free?

Yes to download and for standard messaging and calling. Emoticons, gifting and business messaging are paid.

Viber: Is Viber end to end encrypted?

Yes, by default for one-to-one and group chats, unlike Telegram where it is opt-in for secret chats only.

KakaoTalk: Is KakaoTalk encrypted by default?

No, standard chats are not end to end encrypted by default. A separate Secret Chat mode offers encryption but has to be enabled per chat.

Viber: Is Viber popular in the United States?

No, it has a comparatively small footprint there. Its real strength is in specific markets including parts of Eastern Europe and the Philippines.

KakaoTalk: Do I need KakaoTalk to do business in South Korea?

Not legally, but a very large share of Korean consumers expect to interact with businesses through a Plus Friend account, so most consumer brands operating there use one.

Viber: Who owns Viber?

Rakuten Group, a Japanese e-commerce and internet services company, which bought Viber in 2014.

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