Note: this page is best viewed on a desktop computer with a large screen!
Read EFF’s Thinking About What You Need In A Secure Messenger. Then return here and select the features you are looking for with a secure messenger. Each of the points below is described in depth in the EFF article.
- Are you worried about your messages being intercepted by governments or service providers?
Solution: End-to-end encryption
All messengers listed on this page will have full end to end encryption as an option.
- Are you worried about people in your physical environment reading your messages?
Solution: ephemeral or “disappearing” messages
- Do you want to avoid giving out your phone number (or email)?
Solution: Messengers that allow aliases (and do not expose your personal information as part of your ID)
- How risky would a mistake be? Do you need a “foolproof” encrypted messenger?
Solution: Only encrypted communication is possible
- Are you more concerned about the the “Puddle Test” or the “Hammer Test”?
“Puddle Test”: If you accidentally dropped your phone in a Puddle and ruined it, would your messages be lost forever? This test is really a personal preference, whether you want your messages to be retrievable in the event of an accident. If you do not care about restoration of message, it may be desirable for the app you use to not be able to recover past messages.
“Hammer Test”: If you and a contact intentionally took a Hammer to your phones or otherwise tried to delete all your messages, would they really be deleted? Would someone else be able to recover them?
- Do you need features to help you verify the identity of the person you’re talking to?
Solution: contact verification
Show only recommended apps
Show apps that have:
Ephemeral Messages
ID contains no personal info
Foolproof encryption
Puddle test: Data not recoverable
Hammer test: Data not recoverable
Has contact verification
| Name | Platforms | Country of Origin | Ephemeral Messages | ID contains personal info | Foolproof (All Messages Encrypted) | Puddle Test | Hammer Test | Has Contact Verification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Adamant | iOS, Web | Republic of Ireland | No | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Antox | Android | No centralized servers | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
 |
BabelNet | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows | Czech Republic | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Bat Messenger | Android, iOS | Singapore | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
 |
Blackberry Messenger Enterprise | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows | Canada | No | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Blabber.im | Android | Germany | No | No | No (Unless OMEMO Encyption is set to Always) | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes |
|
Briar Project | Android (via Google Play, F-Droid repo or APK) | None | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Brosix | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux (many) | Bulgaria | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Confide | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows | USA | Yes | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No | |
|
Conion (XMPP) | Android | No | No | No (Unless OMEMO Encyption is set to Always) | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes | |
|
Conversations (XMPP) | Android | Germany | No | No | No (Unless OMEMO Encyption is set to Always) | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes |
|
Crypho | Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Web | Norway | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes | |
|
Crypviser | Android, iOS | Germany | Yes | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Cwtch | Android, Windows, Linux | Canada | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | ? |
|
Element (Matrix) | Android (on F-Droid), iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu), Web | UK | No | No | No | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
FortKnoxster | Android, iOS, Web | UK | No | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
get2clouds | Android, iOS, Windows | UK | Yes | No | No | ? | Data recoverable | No |
|
Ginlo | Android, iOS | Germany | Yes | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
HoopMessenger | Android, iOS | Canada | Yes | No | No | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Jami | Android, iOS, Linux, MacOS, Windows | Canada | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Kedr | Android, iOS | Germany | No | No | Yes | ? | ? | Yes |
|
Keybase | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux (many) | USA | Yes | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Kontalk | Android (on F-Droid), Java client | None | No | Phone | Yes | ? | Data recoverable | Yes |
|
LinkCast | Android, iOS | Japan | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Molly | Android | USA | Yes | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
MySudo | Android, iOS | USA | Yes for MySudo contacts, No for SMS | No | Yes for MySudo contacts, No for SMS | Data recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
OnionShare | Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android | None | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Patchwork | Linux (AppImage), MacOS, Windows | None | No | No | No | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Pinngle | Android, iOS | Latvia | No | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Quicksy (XMPP) | Android | Germany | No | Phone | No (Unless OMEMO Encyption is set to Always) | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes |
|
RetroShare | Windows, MacOS, Linux (many), FreeBSD | None | No | No | Yes | Recoverable? | Recoverable? | No |
|
Ricochet | Windows, MacOS, Linux (many) | No centralized servers | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
SafeSwiss | Android, iOS, Windows | Switzerland | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
SafeText | Android, iOS, Web | UK | Yes | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
SecEMS | Android, iOS (MacOS and Windows coming soon) | China | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Sense Chat | Android, iOS | USA | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | ? | No |
|
Session Messenger | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux | Australia | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Signal | Android (Direct APK download), iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux (Debian) | USA | Yes | Phone | No | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Silence | Android | No centralized servers | No | Phone | No | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Skred | Android, iOS | France | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Snikket (XMPP) | Android, iOS | No | No | No (Unless OMEMO Encyption is set to Always) | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes | |
|
Status | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux | Switzerland | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
StealthChat | Android, iOS | USA | Yes | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Surespot | Android, iOS | USA | Yes | No | Yes | ? | Data recoverable | No |
|
Telegram | Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Web | UK | Yes | Optional aliases | No | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes |
|
Threema | Android (Threema Shop), iOS, Web | Switzerland | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Twicie | Android, iOS | Canada | Yes | No | ? | ? | ? | ? |
|
TwinMe | Android, iOS | France | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Vanish Messenger | Android, iOS | Canada | No | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | No |
|
Vega | Android, iOS | Belgium | Yes | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Viber | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux | Japan | Yes | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes |
|
VIPole (Free version) | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux | UK | No | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
VIPole (Pro version) | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux | UK | Yes | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
WickrMe | Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux (Snap) | USA | Yes | No | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Wire | Android (Direct APK), iOS, MacOS, Windows, Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, AppImage), Web | Switzerland | Yes | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data not recoverable | Yes |
|
Zangi | Android, iOS (MacOS, Windows and web coming soon) | USA | No | Phone | Yes | Data not recoverable | Data recoverable | No |
|
Zom (Matrix) | Android, iOS | USA | No | No | Yes | Data recoverable | Data recoverable | Yes |