Keeping in touch with family, friends, coworkers, other class parents and all the groups in your family's life can get a little overwhelming. And sometimes you don't want the discussions and photos posted all over social media. GroupMe, which was started in 2010 and now has millions (and counting) of users across the country, is the perfect app for keeping these groups organized, private, and streamlined. Did we mention it's free and accessible on all mobile devices and desktop computers (at groupme.com)?
With a new Android app, GroupMe has made it even easier to load pictures, send messages, and keep in touch with every group in your life. Setting up group lists is a streamlined and efficient endeavor because you can pull from your phone contacts. Those on the list who are new to GroupMe will receive an introductory text letting them know how to download the app, but nontechies can also receive the messages as SMS text messages if they prefer (although standard text rates do apply in that case). The app design is clean, free of annoying ads, and includes tons of free emojis for adding a little flavor to your messages.
Unlike with regular text threads or conversations, adding or subtracting members is easy. You can also remove yourself from conversations that no longer apply, such as if your child switches schools or ages out of playgroup. You can even "mute" certain groups or the entire GroupMe app for set periods of time.
Making connections on GroupMe is simple. There's even a convenient "share location" feature which makes it easy to find other members of your Mom's Meet Up group at the park. Since most of the messages I send these days involve pictures of my kids being their adorable selves at the pool, playground, or on vacation, my favorite feature of GroupMe is that all the photos shared in a group are put in a gallery which anyone in the group can review. This shared gallery makes it convenient for ordering pics or even accessing them from your desktop to make slideshows, and it stays private. If you have iOs, you can even share short videos.
If, like most parents, you are trying to spend less time on your phone and more time with friends, family, and loved ones, GroupMe is the ideal app for staying organized, connected, playful, and private. Give it a try!
Download the app here.