Editor's Review
Messaging apps live or die on whether the people you want to reach can be reached, and that is precisely why botim exists. It is a voice, video and text service from Dubai-based ALGENTO DMCC, and its 100M+ install count comes largely from the Gulf, where several better-known calling services have historically been unavailable and this one was among the approved alternatives.
The feature list covers familiar ground: one-to-one and group calls, chat with photos, files and voice notes, contact sync from the phone book, and stickers. Newer builds add payment and money-transfer tools aimed at expatriate workers sending money home, which fits the audience it actually has.
A 4.27 rating is respectable rather than glowing, and the gap sits mostly around reliability and cost. Quality depends heavily on the network you are on, and in some markets access to calling is tied to a package sold by the local operator rather than being free at the point of use. Outside its core region there is little reason to choose it over whatever your contacts already have installed, because a calling app with an empty contact list is no use to anyone.
Features
Voice and video calls between botim accounts
Group calls and group chat threads
Messaging with photo, file and voice-note attachments
Contact sync so registered numbers in your phone book appear automatically
Money transfer and payment tools aimed at expatriate users
Clients for phone and desktop so a conversation can move between screens
Pros
Works in regions where other calling services are restricted
Free to download, with a chat and call layout nobody needs explained
Remittance features suit the migrant workforce it targets
Cons
Worthless unless the people you call also install it
Call quality swings noticeably with network conditions
In some markets calling requires a paid operator package
The 4.27 average points to persistent connection complaints
Questions people ask
Is botim free?
The download is free and app-to-app calls are free in most places, but in some countries VoIP calling is sold as part of a carrier package. Check with your operator before relying on it.
Can I call people who do not use botim?
The core service connects botim accounts to each other. Some markets offer paid calling to ordinary phone numbers as an extra.
Do I need a phone number to register?
Yes. Registration is tied to a mobile number, and the app matches your saved contacts against other registered numbers.
