Best Apps for Group Texting? [Hive Five Call For Contenders]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5799092/best-apps-for-group-texting

Sending SMS messages doesn't have to be a one-on-one affair anymore, and it definitely doesn't have to be expensive. A whole new category of apps and services have come to the rescue, offering conversational text messaging at low rates. This week, we want to know which you use.

Most group texting apps work best when all parties are signed up for the service. Others let you bring outsiders in on the conversation. Still, the biggest benefit to group texting apps is you can send the same message to everyone at the same time, and everyone can respond like you're all having a conversation.

This week we want to know which group texting app works best for you. Whether it's iOS, Android, or cross-platform, which app do you turn to when you need to organize a group or break some news? Let us know in the comments.

Hive Five nominations take place in the comments, where you post your favorite tool for the job. We get hundreds of comments, so to make your nomination clear, please include it at the top of your comment like so: VOTE: BEST GROUP TEXTING APP. Please don't include your vote in a reply to another commenter. Instead, make your vote and reply separate comments. If you don't follow this format, we may not count your vote. To prevent tampering with the results, votes from first-time commenters may not be counted. After you've made your nomination, let us know what makes it stand out from the competition.

About the Hive Five: The Hive Five feature series asks readers to answer the most frequently asked question we get: "Which tool is the best?" Once a week we'll put out a call for contenders looking for the best solution to a certain problem, then YOU tell us your favorite tools to get the job done. Every weekend, we'll report back with the top five recommendations and give you a chance to vote on which is best. For an example, check out last week's Five Best Video Services for Ditching Cable Without Losing Your Favorite TV Shows. Photo by Bryan Gosline.