User friendly, lightweight, for desktop and Android. End-to-end encrypted and takes place over Tor v3 onion services. Privacy-preserving, multi-party messaging protocol. Built to be metadata resistant.
Cwtch
cwtch.im
Our take
Metadata resistance over Tor v3 onion services is the whole point, and that is a stronger guarantee than most messengers even attempt. The price is paid in speed and dependence on Tor reachability, so it will feel slower and occasionally fiddly compared to a centralized app. The right tool when hiding who you talk to matters as much as what you say; the wrong one for casual fast chat.
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Cwtch alternatives
Signal Similar look and feel of WhatsApp and other commonly used messaging apps, makes switching easy. Signal requires your phone number as an personal identifier.
SimpleX Chat Decentralized messenger that assigns no identifier to users, not even a random number. Contacts are established via one-time invite links or QR codes, with all data stored on-device only.
Molly Hardened fork of Signal for Android that adds an encrypted local database, automatic RAM wiping on lock, and Tor/SOCKS proxy support via Orbot. Ships in two variants: one with FCM push and one fully FOSS without Google.
Session No phone number or email address is required to signup. Similar functionality like Element, but still in an earlier stage of development. Decentralized servers routed through…
Threema No native desktop apps available yet, but there is a web version for your browser. No phone number is required to signup but there is a payment involved to get the app.…
Briar Briar doesn't rely on a central server: messages are synchronized directly between the users' devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Online sync via the Tor network is possible, too.…