GroupMe
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Instant messaging software |
| Predecessor | Grouply |
| Founded | May 2010 |
| Founder | Jared Hecht, Steve Martocci |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Group messaging application |
| Owner | Microsoft |
| Parent | Microsoft |
| Website | groupme |
GroupMe (styled as groupme) is a group messaging application for mobile devices, currently owned by Microsoft. Initially launched in May 2010 by the independent company GroupMe, it rapidly attracted a large user base. By August 2011, the platform was transmitting over 100 million messages each month, which expanded to 550 million by June 2012. In 2013, GroupMe had amassed more than 12 million registered users.
As of March 2024, although Microsoft has ceased consumer development on Skype, GroupMe continues to receive active support and regular updates, establishing itself as a significant messaging service within Microsoft's suite of products.
History
The app originally known as Grouply, which evolved into GroupMe, was developed in May 2010 during the TechCrunch Disrupt hackathon by founders Jared Hecht and Steve Martocci. Created to replace cumbersome email chains for group communication, the founders initially funded the project through a loan from Hecht’s parents and rebranded the app to GroupMe in August 2010. That same month, GroupMe secured $85,000 in investment and launched on the App Store by October 2010.
In January 2011, GroupMe raised $10.6 million in venture capital from Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, along with angel investors. By August 2011, Skype acquired the company for approximately $80 million. Microsoft then finalized its purchase of Skype in October 2011. Toward the end of 2012, GroupMe underwent a redesign aimed at improving the overall user interface and experience.
Initially, group membership was capped at 100 participants with options to request higher limits. In 2019, the platform increased this standard limit to 5,000 members per group but removed the option for custom limit requests.
Following Skype’s decline and eventual discontinuation, GroupMe has remained operational under Microsoft’s primary division and is being integrated with technologies such as Microsoft Copilot, reflecting continued strategic investment in its development.
Usage
GroupMe functions through a downloadable application or via web access. Users must create an account by providing a name, phone number, and password or by logging in through social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. The app syncs with users’ contacts to facilitate group creation and supports groups of up to 5,000 members. Users have the option to mute notifications while still receiving messages. Each group carries a unique label and identification number. Core functionalities include sharing photos, videos, location data, event creation tools, and emoji use.
The platform offers a web client alongside apps compatible with iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Windows 10. In the United States, messages can also be sent and received through SMS. Groups are formed by adding contacts; messages are visible to all group members who may respond accordingly. The app enables sending images, documents, videos, hyperlinks, as well as private messaging among active users within the service.
GroupMe has been acknowledged for its utility in higher education environments as an effective means to facilitate course-related discussions, support collaboration within small groups, and enhance both online and traditional classroom learning experiences. Research underscores its ability to foster literacy development by encouraging multimodal communication that combines text and visuals, thereby establishing digital discourse as an academic communication form.
See also
- Comparison of cross-platform messaging applications
- Comparison of messaging protocols
- Comparison of IRC clients
- Comparison of local network messengers
- Comparison of VoIP applications
- List of SIP-based software
- List of video communication services and brands