Looking for a Beeper alternative?
Keep your work in one desktop app.
Franz puts chat, email and work Services in one desktop app. Keep each account separate and use the tools you already know. Start with up to three Services for free.
Beeper brings conversations from supported chat networks into one inbox. It offers direct connections on your device and Beeper Cloud connections, depending on the network and your setup. Franz gives your chat, email and other work Services a shared desktop home. Each Service keeps its own view. You can keep a client account separate from your personal account and group Services into Workspaces. Choose around the tools you use each day. Beeper has mobile apps as well as desktop apps. Franz runs on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Best fit
Choose Franz over Beeper if...
Choose Franz if your main problem is desktop focus: messengers, email, work services, native Signal and AI catch-up in one window. Choose Beeper if your main problem is a true chat inbox that follows you across phone and desktop.
Why people switch from Beeper to Franz
| Franz | Beeper | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & access | ||
| Free for personal use | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Lowest paid plan | $6/mo Pro | Free plan, paid options |
| Lifetime license | $239 | ✗ No |
| No account required | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| AI & intelligence | ||
| AI assistant (cross-app catch-me-up) | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| AI email triage & priority inbox | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Voice-message transcription | ✓ Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Voice dictation (speak your replies) | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Action-item & decision extraction | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| AI you control (local, your key, or EU cloud) | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Services & messaging | ||
| Services you can add | 70+ | 10+ chat networks |
| Native Signal client (not a web wrapper) | ✓ Yes | Unverified |
| Direct connections (no relay) | ✓ Yes | On-device and Cloud options |
| Workspaces | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Privacy | ||
| Tracker & email-pixel blocking | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Local-first by default | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| EU data residency | ✓ Yes | Unverified |
| Platform & longevity | ||
| Desktop platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Actively maintained | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Building since | 2016 | 2020 |
Both products do something with voice, and they sit at opposite ends of it. Beeper Plus transcribes the voice notes you receive, so you can read them instead of listening. Franz 6 does that too, and it also goes the other way: hold one key, say your reply, and the text lands in the service you're in. Dictation is part of Franz Pro and needs macOS 26 or later on an Apple Silicon Mac.
Read more about voice dictationWhat you might miss
Beeper has apps for iPhone, iPad and Android, alongside its desktop apps. It brings supported chats into one inbox. If you want that experience on your phone and computer, check Beeper's current network support. Its iMessage integration runs locally on a Mac and doesn't carry those chats to its other apps.
Ready to try Franz?
Free for personal use, and you can install it without making an account. Add your services and see how it feels in a few minutes.
No cloud middleman. No tracking. No banner.
Franz connects each messaging service directly from your device. Your messages don't pass through our servers. We don't set tracking cookies, and we don't show you a consent banner because we don't need one. Privacy Shield goes further, blocking trackers and fingerprinting inside the services you use. Built in Vienna since 2016. Your AI is yours to choose: on-device, your own API key, or zero-retention Franz Cloud hosted in the EU.
Free for the basics. Pro when you want the AI.
Everything else, answered.
More about Beeper
Do both apps offer direct connections?
Yes. Franz connects to the services you add from your device. Beeper offers on-device connections for supported networks, plus Beeper Cloud connections. Check the connection type for each network when comparing privacy and setup.
Beeper has AI transcription. Does Franz do more?
Yes. Beeper AI is mostly voice-note transcription. Franz 6 has voice transcription too, plus a full assistant: cross-app catch-me-up, AI email triage, and action-item extraction, with AI you can run locally, on your own key, or on EU cloud. Franz also goes beyond AI with natively integrated to-dos, a native Signal client, and tracker blocking.
What can I try for free?
You can install Franz without an account and use up to three Services in one Workspace. See our pricing page for the current Pro, Max and Lifetime options. Beeper also offers a free plan and optional paid plans; check its current pricing for the features you need.
Beeper is a trademark of its respective owner. Franz is independent software and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Beeper. Names and logos shown here are used for identification and comparison only.