WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that allows users to send messages and make calls for free, as well as share photos, videos, documents, and their location with friends and family. It offers many advantages over traditional text messaging, including:

1. Group conversations: WhatsApp allows users to create groups and talk to multiple contacts at the same time.
2. Send & receive multimedia: People can send photos, videos, music, documents, and other types of files on WhatsApp.
3. End-to-end encryption: WhatsApp messages are encrypted and secured, meaning that only the sender and receiver have access to the data.
4. Video and voice calls: Calls between WhatsApp users are made over the internet, instead of using traditional cellular networks, making them free.
5. Multiplatform: WhatsApp is available for a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac.
6. Backups: WhatsApp supports cloud-based backups, making it easy to restore messages and conversations.

Overall, WhatsApp offers a great alternative to traditional SMS texting and provides several advantages over the older technology.