I have been using TextSecure for a few years now. Its an encrypted messaging platform that works via data or SMS. The app can be used to communicate in plain text SMS and as encrypted messages, So you can use the same app when talking to your friends that don’t use TextSecure. Its one of the first crypto tools that has a nice GUI and is simple enough that my non-tech grandparents can use it.
They also have a secure private calling feature and now a desktop client.
Android app
IOS app
Desktop client is in beta
As with all “good” crypto systems the source code is available from github