Text-only chat with strangers
A text-only alternative to Omegle chat
StrangerChat is a free, text-only alternative to Omegle’s text chat. You are matched one-on-one with a random stranger, with a preference for shared interests. There is no video or voice. You must be 18 or older and sign in with Google or email, and chats disappear when they end.
StrangerChat is not affiliated with Omegle, which closed on 8 November 2023.
What Omegle’s text chat was
Omegle launched in 2009 as a text chat that paired two random strangers who knew nothing about each other. Video was added in 2010, but the text mode stayed: no camera, just two people typing. You could add interest tags to be paired with someone who shared one, and save a log of a chat you wanted to keep.
It closed on 8 November 2023. The full story, including why, is in why Omegle shut down.
How StrangerChat’s text chat works
- Sign in with Google or email and confirm you are 18 or older.
- Pick up to five interests, or skip them.
- Tap Start. You are matched with someone, preferring people who share an interest.
- Type. If it is not clicking, Next finds someone new straight away. When either of you leaves, the chat is gone.
When few people are online, finding a match can take a while; the busiest time is 8–10 PM IST. If nobody is free, you can choose to chat with a clearly labelled AI character while you wait.
Omegle text chat and StrangerChat, side by side
Omegle facts describe the service as it was before it closed.
| Omegle text chat (2009–2023) | StrangerChat | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Text first; video added in 2010 | Text only, no video or voice |
| Account | None | Google or email sign-in, email verified |
| Matching | Random, with optional interest tags | Random, preferring shared interests |
| Chat history | You could save a log of a chat | Gone for both people when the chat ends |
| Age check | Self-declared, with no account | 18+ only, declared at sign-up; minors are removed |
| Price | Free | Free; optional Premium (₹250 for 15 days) adds filters |
| Status | Closed on 8 November 2023 | Open |
Who it suits, and who it doesn’t
- Good fit: people who would rather type than be on camera, anyone practising a language, and anyone who wants a conversation without a profile or a history.
- Not a fit: anyone looking for video or voice, anyone under 18, and anyone who wants to chat without signing in.
Comparing more options, including video sites? See the best Omegle alternatives and text chat versus video chat.