[General Questions and Answers] GalaxyA325G:
There is a dearth of information on XDA about RCS-enabled messaging apps, as far as I can tell....

However, I'm never one to disagree with a sensible viewpoint, as I personally don't feel any need for central servers myself (e.g., I have NO ACCOUNT on my phone for privacy reasons).

View attachment 6035880

Notice above that the goal, always, is to replace the Google app (in this case, the Google Messages with RCS app) with a non-Google app that does the same thing (usually better).

In addition to my distrust of central servers, I don't even see any need for RCS myself - however - there are people - particularly in Europe - who pay for MMS and who write mostly to iPhone owners - who pine for the "free pictures" and "non-broken chat" that RCS supplies them...

Luckily Apple announced RCS support next year, probably in iOS 18.

Apple announces RCS support is coming to iPhone next year

<https://9to5mac.com/2023/11/16/apple-rcs-coming-to-iphone/>

"Apple has announced today that it will adopt the RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging standard. The feature will launch via a software update "later next year" and bring a wide range of iMessage-style features to messaging between iPhone and Android users...​

​

Apple's decision comes amid pressure from regulators and competitors like Google and Samsung. It also comes as RCS has continued to develop and become a more mature platform than it once was." ​

I agree with you that

non-root

archival/restore of SMS/MMS/VCARD is something people care about and is worth fleshing out.

It's especially useful to people like me who don't have a Google Account on the phone (for privacy reasons, that's why) - so all the archival mechanisms that Google willingly supplies - are moot (good riddance).

Years ago, on Usenet, I tested every free ad free SMS/MMS solution out there and settled on the PulseSMS application, which does what you ask above.

For example, for years, on multiple models, I have been successfully using the last known good version of the free open source ad free gsf free PulseSMS messages app which auto saves images and does archival/backup of images, messages, groups & contacts (if you want to set it up to do that).

PulseSMS by Klinker Bros

<xyz.klinker.messenger> version 5.4.6.2816

Then I tested every free SMS/Contacts Backup/Restore app and wrote up the results on Usenet for every single non-root SMS/VCARD backup solution found.

A list of the best non-root SMS/MMS/VCARD backup/restore solutions really deserve their own thread, since it's a completely different topic than RCS, so I'll just list some of them without providing my detailed test results on each.

SMS Import / Export

<https://f-droid.org/packages/com.github.tmo1.sms_ie/>

SMS Backup+ by Jan Berkel

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync>

Super Backup & Restore by MobileIdea Studio

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>

Simple SMS Messenger by Simple Mobile Tools

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger>

Alpha Backup by Buggysofts

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ruet_cse_1503050.ragib.appbackup.iap>

Phone Backup by JR Beetroots

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jrbeetroots.phonebackup>

SMS Backup Safe by DevelRox

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.develrox.smsbackup>

SMS Backup & SMS Export to Excel by Alexander Murray

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magic.smsrecovery>

4. Backup & Reset (MiUi)

SMS Backup & Restore by SyncTech Pty Ltd

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore>

But this thread is about RCS, and not SMS/MMS/VCARD archival so I haven't bothered to update that list above in years.

In summary, this thread is asking simply for a list of known RCS enabled messaging apps are on Android that are available now as I can't be aware of all of them - so I certainly missed some - didn't I?