To compare multiple apps enter: "messenger 1 || messenger 2" in the top cell of the first row
To also include (non)empty cells in your search use "value || [(non)empty]"
This project is discontinued as of May 2024
| Last updated: 18.05.2024 | Price | Repository | Software license | Comes without proprietary libraries | Availability | Checksums available | Installation requirement | Works without Google Play Services | Tracker integration (Exodus) | Client is available since | Last public audit | Android | iOS | Windows | macOS | Linux | Web | Encryption protocol / library | End-to-end encryption | End-to-end encrypted 2-user chat |
End-to-end encrypted group chat | End-to-end encryption is turned on by default | Local message encryption | Perfect Forward Secrecy is enforced | Certificate pinning is used | Directory service can be modified to enable a MITM attack | Contact verification possible | Contact can be added without needing to trust a directory server | Notification if contact's fingerprint changes | Contact's fingerprints can be verified manually | Avoids / Protects metadata during use | Native onion routing support | 2FA | Centralized / Federated / Decentralized | Infrastructure hosting | Open Source server | Transparency report | Infrastructure jurisdiction | Jurisdiction of the devs/company | Funding | App lock | Visible if contacts are online | Online indicator is turned off my default | Online indicator can be turned on or off | Audio-calls | Video-calls | Group-calls | Screen-sharing on desktop | Group chats | Voice messages | File exchange | Read receipts | Draft messages | Editing sent messages | Disappearing messages | Deleting sent messages locally | Deleting sent messages for both (2 user chat) |
Synchronization between multiple devices | Storage location of the backup | Automated backup | Encrypted backup | Additional features | Last date information got verified | ||||||
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| Berty | Free | GitHub | Apache 2.0 / MIT | App Store, Play Store, Github | Yes | None | Yes | 0 | 2019 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Berty protocol | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Distributed Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | Nodle | No | No | — | — | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Locally | No | No | - Message sharing over Bluetooth | ||||||||||||||||||
| Briar (f) | Free | GitLab | GPLv3 | Yes | Play Store, F-Droid, website | No | None | Yes | 0 | 2018 | 2017 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Bramble | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no directory service) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes via onion routing | Yes | No | Distributed Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | — | UK | List here | Custom passphrase after device start / device pin after inactivity | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes (only images) | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
- Screenshot protection - Mesh networking - Forums, blogs, RSS feed - Deniability for one-to-one messages - Message sharing over Bluetooth - Reproducible builds |
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| Conversations (XMPP) (f) | Free / paid | GitHub | GPLv3 | Yes | Play Store, F-Droid | No | None | Yes | 0 | 2014 | 2016 | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | OMEMO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | N/A (no directory service) | Yes | Yes | Yes (if previously verified) |
No | No | Via Orbot | No | Federated | Distributed server | Depends on the provider | Not required. Client only | Depends on server location | Germany | NLNet, user pays, donations | No | Yes | yes | Yes | Yes (depends on server) | Yes (depends on server) | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes but not individually | No | Yes | Locally | No | Yes |
- Interoperability with other XMPP clients - Plausible deniability |
23.12.2021 | ||||||||
| CoyIM (XMPP) | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | GitHub, multiple repositories | Yes | XMPP account | N/A (no mobile app) | N/A (no mobile app) | 2015 | 2019/2020 (Only the encryption library) | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | OTR3 | Yes | Yes | No | No, but user will get prompted to enable it | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (if Tor is installed) | No | Federated | Distributed server | Depends on the provider | No | Depends on server location | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | When closing CoyIM, all messages get deleted | No | No | Only contacts | Locally (only the configuration file) | Yes | User decides | - Interoperability with other XMPP clients - Plausible deniability |
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| Cwtch | Free | Open Privacy Gitea | MIT | Play Store, Website | Yes | None | Yes | 0 | 2019 | — | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Tor hidden services/TLS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes via onion routing | Yes | No | Decentralized Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers, except for experimental groups) | N/A (no servers, Cwtch Server for groups is open source) | No | — | Canada | Open Privacy Research Society | Custom passphrase after device start | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Locally | No | Yes | - Reproducible builds | ||||||||||||||||
| Delta Chat (f) | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | Yes | App Store, Play Store, F-Droid, Website, different package managers | Verification of the signing certificate possible | Yes | 0 | 2017 | 2023-02 2023-03 |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | OpenPGP with Autocrypt |
Only DC contacts | Yes | Yes | Yes for DC contacts / no for normal emails | No | No | N/A (no directory service) | Yes | Yes | Only in verified group chats | Yes | No | SOCKS5 proxy available | No | Federated | Distributed server | Depends on the server | No | Depends on server location | Germany | List here | No | No | — | — | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Locally | No | No | 22.12.2021 | ||||||||||
| Discord | Free | — | Proprietary | No | App Store, Play Store, Website | No | Yes | 2 | 2015 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | TLS | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | TOPT after new login | Centralized | Google and Cloudflare | No | Yes | USA | Discord Nitro | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | — | — | Denied email contact | ||||||||||||||
| Element (f) | Free | GitHub | Apache 2.0 | Yes | App Store, Play Store, F-Droid, website, GitHub | No | Yes | 0 | 2016 | 2022 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Olm / Megolm | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Federated | Distributed server / Google (Opt-In) | Yes | No | Depends on server location | UK | New Vector Limited, Community | Yes | No | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partially (depends on server) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally and / or Cloud | Partially, after setup | Yes | - Cross-signed device verification - Plausible deniability |
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| Facebook Messenger | Free | — | Proprietary | No | App Store, Play Store, Microsoft Store | No | Email or phone number; Facebook account | Yes | 5 | 2011 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Signal Protocol (unverifable) | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | TOTP or SMS on new device | Centralized | No | Yes | USA | USA | Face ID or Touch ID (Only iOS) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally | No | No | ||||||||||||||
| ginlo Privat (f) | Free | GitHub | Apache 2.0 | Yes | App Store, Play Store, Website | No | None | Yes | 2 | 2014 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | AES | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes via QR code | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Centralized | Servers in Germany | No | Yes | Germany | Germany | ginlo Business customers, Karsten Schramm & Co-Investors | Custom PIN or passphrase after app start | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Locally | Yes | Yes | 05.04.2022 | |||||||||
| Jami | Free | GitLab | GPLv3 | Yes | App Store, Play Store, F-Droid, website | No | None | Yes | 0 | 2018 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | RSA-Keys (4096-Bit) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes via QR code | No | No | Partially | No | No | Distributed Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | — | Canada | Donations, GNU/EFF | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally | No | No | |||||||||||||
| Messages | Free | — | Proprietary | No | App Store | No | Email; Apple ID account | Yes | N/A (no Android app) | 2011 | — | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Proprietary, unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (>=iOS 9.3) | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Centralized | Apple | No | Yes | USA | USA | Apple | No | No | — | — | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (>=iOS 16) | Yes | Locally and / or Cloud | After setup (only cloud) | Locally | ||||||||||||
| Molly FOSS | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | Yes | GitHub, F-Droid | No | Phone number | Yes | 2020 | — | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Signal Protocol | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Partially | SOCKS5 proxy available | Custom passphrase | Centralized | Amazon, Microsoft, Google & Cloudflare | Yes | Yes | USA | Donations | Device pin, passphrase, or biometric authentication | No | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally | Yes | Yes |
- RAM Shredding - Automatic locking - Block unknown contacts - Plausible deniability |
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| Olvid Free | Free | GitHub | AGPLv3 | No | App Store, Play Store | Partly | None | Yes | 1 | 2019 | 2020 (Android), 2021 (iOS) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (not open source) | Olvid messaging protocol | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A (no directory service) | Yes via QR code | N/A (no directory service) | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Centralized | Message relaying server is hosted with AWS | No | No | France | France | Freemium | Custom PIN, passphrase or fingerprint after app start | No | — | — | 1 month free trial | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally and / or cloud | Locally and / or cloud | Yes | 04.11.2022 (partly) | ||||||||||
| RetroShare | Free | GitHub | Multiple | Yes | GitHub, F-Droid, website | Yes | None | Yes | 0 | 2006 | 2016 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (web app is not complete yet) | TLS 1.3 (OpenSSL) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes (stops connecting to those friends) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Decentralized Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | — | Mostly none, except Google summer of code | No | Yes | No | No | Yes (experimental) | Yes (experimental) | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Locally (old versions of config and data files) | Yes | Yes | 20.04.2022 | |||||||||||
| Ricochet Refresh | Free | GitHub | 3-Clause BSD | Yes | GitHub | Yes | None | N/A (no mobile app) | N/A (no mobile app) | 2019 | — | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Tor hidden services/TLS | Yes | Yes | N/A (no group chat) | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes via onion routing | Yes | No | Decentralized Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | — | Germany | Blueprint For Free Speech | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | When closing Ricochet Refresh, all messages get deleted | No | No | No | None | — | — | 30.08.2022 (partly) | ||||||||||
| Session | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | No | App Store, Play Store, F-Droid, GitHub, Website | Yes | None | Yes | 0 | 2020 | 2021 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Session Protocol (NaCl) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | N/A (no directory service) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes via onion routing | Yes | No | Decentralized | Yes | Yes | Depends on server location | Australia | LAG Foundation Ltd, OPTF Foundation | Device PIN or fingerprint after app start | No | — | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally | No | Yes | 16.01.2022 | ||||||||||
| Signal (f) | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 (Android, iOS), AGPLv3 (Desktop) | No | App Store, Play Store, Website | No | Phone number | Yes | 0 | 2014 | 2022, 2021 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Signal Protocol | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Partially | No | Custom passphrase | Centralized | Amazon, Microsoft, Google & Cloudflare | Yes | Yes | USA | USA | List here | Device pin, passphrase, or biometric authentication | No | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally | After setup | Yes | - Plausible deniability - Phone number can be hidden |
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| SimpleX Chat (f) | Free | GitHub | AGPLv3 | Yes | App Store, Play Store, F-Droid, Github | Yes | None | Yes | 0 | 2021 | 2022 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Double Ratchet / NaCl | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A (no directory service) | N/A, there are no identities, the contacts are verified out-of-band - we do not have identities in the network | Yes | N/A, there are no permanent identities | Key exchange happens out of band, via QR code, so MITM attack is not possible and key integrity is preserved in a non-optional way, unlike how it happens with fingerprint verification | Yes | Yes via Orbot | No | Client centric network based on the platform that consists of cheap redundant server nodes providing unidirectional queues, that do not talk to each other, without any central catalogue | Anybody can host the servers, open-source code is available, with one-click deployment on Digital Ocean and Linode (distributed server) | Yes | No | — | UK | Description here | Device PIN, passphrase or fingerprint | No | — | — | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only in the app | Yes | Yes | Yes (both partners have to agree) | Yes | Yes | Locally | No | Database can be encrypted | - Self-hosted WebRTC ICE servers for audio and video calls - Plausible deniability |
13.01.2022 | |||||||||
| Siskin (XMPP) | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | Yes | App Store | No | N/A (no Android app) | 2016 | — | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | OMEMO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (if previously verified) |
No | Federated | Distributed server | Depends on the provider | No | Depends on server location | Tigase Inc. | Yes | Yes (depends on server) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | None | — | — |
- Interoperability with other XMPP clients - Plausible deniability |
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| Skype | Free | — | Proprietary | No | App Store, Play Store, Microsoft Store, Website | No | Microsoft account | Yes | 1 | 2003 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Skype Protocol / Signal Protocol | Only in "Private Conversations" | Only in "Private Conversations" | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Centralized | Microsoft | No | Yes | USA | USA | Microsoft | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (will remove it for all users) | Yes (only own messages) | Yes | Locally | No | No | |||||||||||
| Speek! (f) | Free | GitHub | BSD 3-Clause | Yes | App Store, Play Store, Microsoft Store, GitHub | Yes | None | Yes | 0 | 2022 | — | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Speek Protocol / Tor hidden services | Yes | Yes | N/A (no group chat) | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A (no directory service) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes via onion routing | Yes | No | Decentralized Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | — | Germany | No funding | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | When closing Speek, all messages get deleted | No | Only received messages | No | Locally (only contacts, messages are never stored) | No | No | 29.03.2022 | |||||||||
| Telegram (f) | Free / paid | GitHub | Multiple | No | App Store, Play Store, F-Droid, Website, GitHub | No | Phone number (paid anonymous numbers available) | Yes | 1 | 2013 | 2015 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | MTProto 2.0 | Only individual chats (optional) | Only in "Secret Chat" | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only in "Secret Chats" | No | No | No | No | SOCKS5 proxy available | SMS | Centralized | Amazon, Google and others | No | No | Dubai (alternating) | USA / UK / Belize / UAE | Pavel Durov, Telegram Premium | Custom PIN or fingerprint after app start | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (1, 2) | Yes | Yes | Only unencrypted chats | Cloud (except "Secret Chats") |
Yes | Key with the provider | - Automatic chat history deletion | |||||||||
| Threema for Individuals (f) | Paid | GitHub | AGPLv3 | No | App Store, Play Store, Website, F-Droid | No | None | Yes | 0 | 2012 | 2023 (1, 2, 3), 2020 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | NaCI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (must be enabled) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partially | No | No | Centralized | Servers in Switzerland | No | Yes | Switzerland | Switzerland | User pays, Afinum Management AG | No | No | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Only iOS | Locally and / or (own) Server |
Yes | Yes | - Reproducible Builds | 11.01.2022 | ||||||||
| aTox (Tox) | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | Yes | Play Store, F-Droid, GitHub | No | None | Yes | 0 | 2020 | — | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | NaCI | Yes | Yes | N/A (no group chat) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partially | SOCKS5 proxy available | No | Decentralized Peer-to-peer | N/A (no servers) | N/A (no servers) | No | — | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Locally (only contacts) | No | No | - Plausible deniability | |||||||||||||||
| Viber | Free | — | Proprietary | No | App Store, Play Store, Website | No | Phone number | Yes | 6 | 2010 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Proprietary / unknown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6-digit PIN when registering the phone number again | Centralized | No | No | Luxembourg / Japan | Rakuten / friends and family of Talmon Marco | Only for Viber Desktop | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| WhatsApp (f) | Free | — | Proprietary | No | App Store, Play Store, Website, Microsoft Store | No | Phone number | Yes | 1 | 2009 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Signal Protocol (unverifable) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Must be enabled | Yes | No | No | 6-digit pin when registering the phone number again | Centralized | No | Yes | USA | USA | Device fingerprint after app start | Yes | No | Only for yourself | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partly (up to 15 minutes after sending) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally and Cloud | After setup | Key with the provider | Denied email contact | |||||||||||
| Wickr | Paid | — | Proprietary | No | App Store, Play Store, Website | No | AWS account | Yes | 3 | 2012 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Wickr Messaging Protocol | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Centralized | Amazon | No | Yes | USA | Amazon / CIA | Custom passphrase after app start | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only contacts | None | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Wire Basic (f) | Free | GitHub | GPLv3 | No | App Store, Play Store, Website | Yes | Yes | 0 | 2014 | 2018, 2017 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Proteus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (if previously verified) |
Yes | No | No | No | Centralized | Amazon | Yes | Yes | Germany | USA | Janus Friis, Iconical, Zeta Holdings (Luxembourg), Morpheus Ventures (Los Angeles) | Android: custom passphrase after app start iOS: Touch ID or passphrase |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Locally | No | Yes |
- typing indicatior can be turned off - screenshot prevention |
