Thundr Alternatives in 2026: Random Chat Sites Compared, Text and Video

The short answer, as of November 2026: Thundr is still running, so you don't have to leave. If you want something like it, Emerald Chat is the closest match (interests, text or video). For plain random video, try Chatroulette or OmeTV. For quick random text, try Joingy. And if what you want is a calm, text-only conversation with someone in another country, in any language, try Olu: one tap, every message translated both ways, free.

Text someone abroad now, no camera, free

Olu is an independent app, not affiliated with Thundr, Emerald Chat, Chatroulette, OmeTV, Joingy, Chitchat.gg, Azar or any service named here. Names are used only for comparison. Features, prices and age rules change; check each one yourself.

What Thundr is, and is it still working?

Thundr is a random chat site and app. You pick text or video, add interests if you like, and get paired with a stranger. Its Android app listing describes random video chat, text and voice chat, a text-only option for people who aren't ready for video, AI moderation with human review, and an 18+ age limit. Its site has described gender and location filters, and it sells coins for extras.

As far as we could tell when we checked in November 2026, it has not shut down. If an old bookmark doesn't work, look up the current app store listing rather than assuming it closed.

Why people look for a Thundr alternative

• It leans toward dating. App trackers we checked list Thundr's Android app under dating, and its store description mentions meeting singles. If you want friendly conversation, that's the wrong mood.
• Waits and empty queues. Some reviews describe long waits at quiet hours and suspect hidden "shadow bans". Thundr doesn't publish how its matching or bans work, so we can't confirm this.
• Paid filters. Choosing who you meet costs coins.
• Video fatigue. Even with a text mode, the site is built around cameras.

Thundr alternatives at a glance

	Format	Text without camera	Interest matching	Age	Free to start
Thundr	Random 1:1, text or video	Yes	Yes	18+	Yes, coins for extras
Emerald Chat	Random 1:1 plus group channels	Yes	Yes	18+	Yes, paid filters
Chatroulette	Random video	Can switch to text	No	18+	Yes
OmeTV	Random video	No	No, but country choice	Age of majority	Yes, VIP subscription
Joingy	Random 1:1	Yes	No	18+	Yes
Chitchat.gg	Random 1:1	Yes, text mode	Check the site	Check the site	Yes
Olu	Random 1:1 with someone abroad	Text only	No	18+	Yes, no ads

Emerald Chat: the closest match

Emerald Chat matches strangers by shared interests, by text or video, and adds group channels and a karma score that rewards good behaviour. You make an account first. Its site says subscription tiers unlock gender, country and language filters, and it uses AI plus human moderators. More in Emerald Chat alternatives.

Best for: Thundr users who liked the interest tags. Catch: the filters are paid, and age is self-declared.

Chatroulette: the original, still running

Chatroulette's homepage says it's 18+ and that sexually suggestive content is prohibited. It uses AI moderation that screens video, and you can switch to text chat. Reviews describe gender matching as a paid extra.

Best for: simple random video with active moderation. Catch: mostly faces; no interests.

OmeTV: big and video-first

OmeTV's website says its video chat is free and lists country selection and an in-built translation feature. The app sells a VIP Lounge subscription. Apple and Google removed it from their Australian stores in October 2025 after action by Australia's eSafety Commissioner; it still runs elsewhere. See our OmeTV alternatives.

Best for: quick international video. Catch: no text-only mode.

Joingy: fast random text

Joingy is a plain random chat where you can choose a text chat without a camera. Its rules say every user must be at least 18. There's no sign-up and no filters.

Best for: the quickest text chat with a stranger. Catch: no interests, no country choice, no translation.

Chitchat.gg: text and video on one site

Chitchat.gg describes itself as a video and text platform that pairs people one-to-one, with a separate text chat mode. It's newer than the rest of this list.

Best for: people who switch between text and video. Catch: a younger site, so check its rules and community yourself.

Olu: text only, across languages

Olu is the calm end of random chat. One tap matches you with someone online now in another country, and every message is translated both ways, with the original always visible. That's something Thundr and most of its rivals don't do: you can talk to someone whose language you don't speak.

• Text only. No video, no voice, nobody judging your face.
• For friendship and conversation, not dating. Adults 18+ only.
• Free, no ads, in any browser, nothing to install.
• Filtered messages, block and report in every chat. Read the Olu safety page.
• If no human is free, you may meet an AI local, always labelled AI.

Honest limits: no interests, no filters, and you can't pick the country. The community is small, so the busiest time is World hour, every day at 19:00 UTC for 30 minutes. The time zone tool shows it in your time. If nobody's around, you're told, not left waiting.

Which one should you pick?

• You liked Thundr's interests and text mode: Emerald Chat.
• You want random video with stricter moderation: Chatroulette.
• You want big, international video: OmeTV.
• You want quick random text, no account: Joingy.
• You want a friendly chat with someone in another country, no camera, in any language: Olu.
• You want more text-first options: see text-only Omegle alternatives and Chatous alternatives.

Before you start on any of them

• Age is self-declared almost everywhere. Leave any chat where someone seems underage.
• Keep it in the app. People who rush you to Snapchat, Telegram or WhatsApp often want to dodge reporting.
• Never send money or photos, and never share your address, school or workplace.
• Skip and report. You owe a stranger nothing.

Our random text chat safety tips and safe stranger chat sites go into more detail. And for better chats once you're matched, see conversation starters for online chat.