EBuddy

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Instant messaging software

title: "EBuddy" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["companies-based-in-amsterdam", "dutch-brands", "2003-software", "2011-software", "symbian-instant-messaging-clients", "blackberry-software", "instant-messaging-clients"] description: "Instant messaging software" topic_path: "geography/netherlands" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBuddy" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Instant messaging software ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox website"]

Field	Value
name	eBuddy
logo	[[File:Ebuddy Robot.JPG
company_type	Private
location	Amsterdam, Netherlands
url
services	Instant messaging
registration	Optional
language	Multilingual
launch_date
current_status	Active
founder	Paulo Taylor
Jan-Joost Rueb
Onno Bakker
::

eBuddy is a privately held Dutch software company that offers instant messaging services. As of 2011, eBuddy reported 100 million downloads. The company's flagship service is XMS, a proprietary cross-platform instant messaging service. After some changes of ownership, the company is now again owned by its original founders, Onno Bakker and Jan-Joost Rueb.

Services

XMS

XMS is a proprietary cross platform instant messaging service. At one point, XMS was processing over 17 billion messages a month exchanged between more than 30 million unique users - 100,000 users were signing up daily and 1.5 billion banner ads sold on web. In a 2011 review, the head of the BerryReview team mentioned that the service has many features in common with other cross-platform messaging services. It does include some multimedia features: users can send images and videos and share their location. XMS is available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia Series 40, and Windows Phone 7 devices. There is also a web-based client, called "Web XMS", for computer users.

Security

On November 4, 2014, eBuddy XMS scored 1 out of 7 points on the Electronic Frontier Foundation's secure messaging scorecard. eBuddy XMS received a point for encryption during transit but lost points because communications are not encrypted with a key the provider doesn't have access to (i.e. the communications are not end-to-end encrypted), users can't verify contacts' identities, past messages are not secure if the encryption keys are stolen (i.e. the service does not provide forward secrecy), the code is not open to independent review (i.e. the code is not open-source), the security design is not properly documented, and there has not been a recent independent security audit. AIM, BlackBerry Messenger, Hushmail, Kik Messenger, Skype, Viber, and Yahoo Messenger also scored 1 out of 7 points.

eBuddy Chat

eBuddy Chat was a line of multi-protocol instant messaging clients: it allowed users with Facebook Chat, MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ and AOL accounts to chat free of charge in one aggregated interface. eBuddy Chat supported a Web interface and also supported iOS, Android, J2ME and mobile Web-enabled devices. In 2010, it was named one of the five finalists for "Best Mobile App" in the Mashable Awards.

With the move toward mobile, in 2013, the company announced that it was discontinuing development of its eBuddy Chat multi-protocol instant messaging clients.

History

eBuddy was originally developed by Paulo Taylor. His idea was established as a consequence from a bet to develop MSN Messenger, as it was named in 2003, for a mobile phone. After several weeks he won the bet, and uploaded the application to a server. A web version was soon developed following users' demands. As user traffic spurred, Taylor decided to take the idea further. Originally backed by Prime Technology Ventures and Lowland Capital Partners and headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with offices in Singapore and San Francisco, United States., after a successful partnership with Japanese-based GREE, eBuddy was sold via an acqui-hire to Booking.com.

On September 9, 2003, Taylor, together with two partners Jan-Joost Rueb and Onno Bakker, created EverywhereMSN.com.
On June 1, 2006, e-Messenger was renamed to eBuddy.
On October 26, 2006, eBuddy received $6.33M (€5M) in Series A funding.
On May 2, 2008, eBuddy received $9.55M (€6.5M) in Series B funding.
On March 17, 2011, eBuddy launched its proprietary instant messaging app XMS.
On September 21, 2012, Japanese gaming company GREE acquired a minority stake in eBuddy.
However, GREE decided to leave the European market in 2013.
On December 4, 2013, Dutch online booking portal Booking.com bought eBuddy in an acqui-hire agreement

References

(14 September 2011). "EBuddy XMS now available for BlackBerry and hoping to win you over".
(17 March 2011). "SMS on Steroids – eBuddy Debuts Realtime, Cross-Platform Messaging App".
(15 August 2023). "Latest tech news - breaking technology news, leaks and updates".
(19 August 2009). "Jan-Joost Rueb – eBuddy: The cards to win the game @ LeWeb08 - video Dailymotion".
Halevy, Ronen. (September 14, 2011). "eBuddy XMS is Yet Another Cross Platform Messaging Service". BerryReview LLC.
"EBuddy XMS webversie gelanceerd".
(4 November 2014). "Secure Messaging Scorecard. Which apps and tools actually keep your messages safe?". [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]].
(5 November 2014). "Only 6 Messaging Apps Are Truly Secure". [[PC Magazine]].
(22 September 2008). "Your Social Life as You Know It Ends Now: Facebook Chat Now Works on Mobiles".
"EBuddy and eBuddy Pro for iPhone | Macworld".
(13 December 2010). ""Best Mobile App" Finalists Discuss Inspiration and the Future [INTERVIEWS]".
"Support options for Nokia, Lumia, and feature phone devices".
(23 December 2013). "EBuddy Service Discontinued as Company Embraces an XMS Future".
"Retireat21 - #1 for Business Reviews, Costs and Recommendations".
"XMS. Unlimited messaging. Better. Free.".
"Werknemers eBuddy naar Booking.com (update)".
Sawers, Paul. (Dec 4, 2013). "Booking.com Acquires eBuddy".
(12 June 2013). "EBuddy".
Kirkpatrick, Marshall. (2006-06-21). "E-Messenger raises funds, relaunches as eBuddy.com". techcrunch.com.
"Messenger Stuff - eMessenger now eBuddy".
(26 October 2006). "EBuddy Announces 5 Million Euros from Lowland Capital".
(4 February 2008). "EBuddy, the Meebo of Europe, Raises €6.5 million".
(21 September 2011). "EBuddy Blows Through 250 Million User Accounts, Android up 300%".
(8 July 2013). "Japan's Gaming Giant GREE Retrenches in Europe, Shuts Down All UK Operations".
(Dec 4, 2013). "Booking.com acquires messaging service eBuddy".
Prabu, Karthick. (December 5, 2013). "Booking.com snaps up messaging app service eBuddy in acqui-hire deal". Phocuswire.
"Booking.com neemt chatdienst eBuddy over - update".

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