• BlueBubbles

  BlueBubbles is an application that allows you to use iMessage on Android and Windows devices. Essentially, this program allows you to send and receive iMessages from a non-Apple product. The server application is open source, and it doesn't directly connect to your phone when it isn't in use. As such, it has distinct advantages over other alternatives. 

  Pros & Cons

  • Uses less battery than AirMessage
  • Open-source
  • Advanced features for power users

  • Complicated setup process
  • Requires Google Firebase Console

  BlueBubbles on the Google Play Store

• AirMessage

  AirMessage is another way to bring iMessage to Android devices, and it's the simplest method available. Though it doesn't have some of the advanced features offered by BlueBubbles, this app wins in terms of ease of use. You can view most types of iMessages through the client, including reactions. 

  Pros & Cons

  • Simple setup process
  • Doesn't require third-party services
  • Supports reactions to iMessages

  • Stability can be an issue
  • Lack of advanced features for power users

  AirMessage on the Google Play Store

iMessage is a big reason that people stick with the best iPhones as their daily smartphone, even if Android alternatives like Google Messages have come a long way. But there are advantages that come with owning an Android phone, such as using a foldable smartphone as your daily driver. If you want the best of both worlds, you might explore getting the iMessage experience on Android. In fact, in recent months, we've seen a lot of companies try to bring iMessage to Android. That includes the likes of Beeper, Sunbird, and Nothing Chats. Now, all of those services are dead, and it's the stalwarts BlueBubbles and AirMessage that are still around.

While it isn't a simple process, using the applications BlueBubbles or AirMessage makes it possible. The question of which one to use depends on your needs, skill level, and more. To help you out, we've put these two iMessage clients up against each other in terms of feature set, setup process, and daily use.

Pricing and availability

BlueBubbles is an iMessage client that runs on Windows, Linux, and Android devices. It's both free and open-source, meaning if you're knowledgeable, you can see how the whole application works. Being available on three platforms, it's the most versatile iMessage client you can use today. To get started, you need a Mac running macOS El Capitan or newer that can serve as a BlueBubbles server. Technically, you can use a macOS virtual machine on a Windows computer as a BlueBubbles server, but we don't recommend doing this. Apple is picky when it comes to iMessage activation, and using a virtual machine or Hackintosh isn't guaranteed to work.

AirMessage is an iMessage client that runs on Android and also has a web version. Both the server app and the mobile client are free, but unlike BlueBubbles, the program isn't open source. Instead, AirMessage is built on security and privacy, and messages are sent through secure tunnels while they are being sent. AirMessage uses the PBKDF2 or TLS encryption methods to keep your data safe. AirMessage works with more Macs than BlueBubbles, supporting any machine that can run macOS 10.10 Yosemite or later. Just like BlueBubbles, a virtual machine or Hackintosh might work instead, but this isn't guaranteed.

How they work

AirMessage might be easier, but Bluebubbles is more advanced

Since Apple doesn't allow iMessages to be sent or received from an Android or Windows device, both BlueBubbles and AirMessage had to get creative to make this functionality possible. Put simply, these two clients send messages through a Mac computer to form legitimate iMessages. Both programs have server apps that are constantly running on a compatible Mac computer, and when an iMessage is sent or received, the contents of the message are relayed through the official Messages app on macOS. However, the method by which the two apps do this is different, and there are advantages to each.

BlueBubbles uses the Google Firebase Service to connect your Android phone to the Mac server, which provides for a much more complicated setup. However, the Google Firebase Service eliminates the need for your Android phone to have a constant connection to your Mac. Instead, when an iMessage is received, the Google Firebase Service will let your Android phone know. Through this connection method, your Android phone will only connect to your Mac server when there is a new message, which is designed to preserve battery life. Otherwise, your phone would be constantly looking for new messages, which would burn battery life.

On the other hand, AirMessage forges a direct connection between your Android phone and your Mac server. While this does have implications on battery life, it makes the setup process much simpler. For people that are looking for the quickest and easiest solution possible, the battery life concession is a worthy one when using AirMessage. Otherwise, AirMessage is just as capable of sending and receiving iMessages on your Android smartphone. However, it's worth noting that since the Google Firebase Service isn't used here, there's no way to restart your server without actually being in front of your Mac. With BlueBubbles, you can do a remote restart, thanks to Google Firebase functionality.

A setup process for different skill sets

AirMessage is great for beginners, but Bluebubbles supports more iMessage features

As previously mentioned, AirMessage is our pick for the most simple and easy setup process. You have to download the server application from Github to get started, but after following the prompts on-screen, it's smooth sailing from there. The hardest part of the setup process is ensuring you have all the needed permissions granted in the System Settings or System Preferences app. Since the AirMessage Cloud server app tells you exactly which permissions are needed and why they're critical to the app working, this really isn't that hard at all. Due to the simple setup process, AirMessage is really easy to troubleshoot if you end up in a situation where the service isn't working as expected.

By comparison, BlueBubbles requires all the same steps as AirMessage but adds integration with the Google Firebase Service. If you haven't used the Google Firebase Service before, it's easy to get overwhelmed in this part of the process. You don't need to write your own code or anything like that, but the Firebase Service isn't as user-friendly as other Google programs. As such, you'll need to go slowly during the setup process and follow the instructions strictly in order for everything to work properly. BlueBubbles took well over an hour to set up on the first try, while AirMessage can be up and running in about 20 minutes if you know what you're doing. To choose the right program, evaluate your skill level, and choose AirMessage for the simple and straightforward pick.

Available features and compatible devices

Bluebubbles can be configured with advanced features like message reactions

However, the more complicated setup process for BlueBubbles does pay off if you're interested in advanced features. Aside from an Android app available on the Google Play Store, BlueBubbles also offers a Windows app for your computer or laptop. Both AirMessage and BlueBubbles have web clients, but if you'd like to use iMessage on your PC, you might want to choose BlueBubbles for the native Windows app. AirMessage has an Android app on the Google Play Store, so you won't miss out if you just want to get iMessages on your Android phone.

There are differences in feature sets, too, with BlueBubbles providing more features for advanced users. It's incredibly difficult, but you can set up a Private API for BlueBubbles that can bring the Android experience close to that of an iPhone 15. This requires disabling extra security measures on macOS, which are packaged under System Integrity Protection. If you disable SIP, BlueBubbles can access the internal iMessage code via the MacForge app. This allows BlueBubbles to send reactions, view typing bubbles, and more. The process is involved, and the team at BlueBubbes compares the process to jailbreaking an iPhone. But, if you have a high skill level and are comfortable working in the macOS Terminal, you can make BlueBubbles function just like an iPhone on Android. If this is the first time you've heard of Terminal, we'd strongly recommend against trying this out.

Although BlueBubbles' advanced features dwarf the ones available on AirMessage, that's not to say the latter application isn't a capable alternative. You can fully send and receive text and media-based iMessages on the AirMessage app, and you can view reactions to messages you've sent on Android. Unlike BlueBubbles, you won't be able to react to messages yourself, but this shouldn't be a huge downside for most people. In my experience, the advantages to AirMessage in terms of simplicity outweigh the extra advanced features you'd find on BlueBubbles.

Which one is right for you?

Though we've spent a lot of time discussing how complicated BlueBubbles is to set up, there are clear benefits to using the service anyway. For starters, you get clever battery life optimization and the ability to restart the server while you're away. Going a step further, the advanced features you'll find while using BlueBubbles are ones you can't get on any device other than an iPhone. The setup process is intensive, but if you're wanting iMessage on Android, you probably know a thing or two about technology. Plus, after the initial setup, the experience of running Bluebubbles daily is a great one.

If you're willing to surrender a few features for a simplistic setup process, AirMessage is definitely the Android iMessage client for you. The first time I set up the AirMessage Server, it took me about a half hour to get it done. After a few more times, I can now set up an AirMessage Server in about ten minutes. That's not a testament to my skill level, it's a testament to how seamless the installation process for AirMessage really is. Plus, despite the simple setup, you still get all the essential features you need to run iMessage on an Android device or through a web client.