It's often said that out of adversity comes opportunity, and that's exactly how LINE came to be. In 2011, a series of catastrophic events hit Japan: a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami and a subsequent nuclear disaster caused thousands of casualties and widespread devastation. Most of the communication networks were damaged, making it impossible for survivors to call their loved ones and check on them. Communication through the Internet was the only way out, and NHN Japan came up with a game-changer: LINE Messenger was born as a solution to help people stay in touch during hard times like this.

Years after the catastrophes that led to its development, LINE kept on growing as a messenger app which allows you to make voice calls and send messages for free, with no need to depend on a landline plan.

LINE is available worldwide on smartphones (including iPhones and Android devices), and also on desktop and Wear OS.

More than just a messenger app

In some aspects, LINE is similar to any messaging app out there. But in many others, it really stands out. These are some of its main features. Keep in mind that some of them may not be available to all countries.

• Texts, voice and video calls: with LINE, you can contact your friends and loved ones via instant messaging through text messages or video calls, which allow you to have face-to-face conversations. VOIP calls are also available free of charge to contact other LINE users around the world, while calls to other mobile phones and landline users are possible too but charged.
• Stickers, emojis, and themes: when words are not enough, emojis and stickers fill the gap by spicing up your conversations. You can also customize your LINE app with a special theme. These are all available for purchase on LINE STORE.
• OpenChat: it's possible to join or create public chat rooms and engage in conversations with others, directly from the LINE Messenger app.
• Hometab: this is the app's main screen, which makes it easy to find and access your faves, groups, friends and services.
• Timeline: the LINE Timeline adds to the social media aspect of the app. Similar to Facebook's timeline, in LINE's you can share status updates, posts and images, and also comment or like other users' posts.

LINE’s top competitor

LINE and WhatsApp are among the most widely-used instant messaging apps worldwide, each with millions of users around the globe. Both let you make and receive free calls and stay in touch with family and friends, and even share almost the same logo and brand color. But, what sets them apart? Is one better than the other, or are they just different? Let’s break them down:  

The bottom line

Nowadays, LINE is regarded as “the fastest growing mobile messenger app in the world”. While it’s true that it has many valuable features, there are some aspects where WhatsApp outshines it. Depending on your specific communication needs and location, you may find either app more appealing. Both apps have their own user bases, so this factor might be crucial when making up your mind. It’s really up to you: download it and give it a try!