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.
Reviewed by Gabriel Bachmann
Replace today:
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Privacy Messaging with Secure & Encrypted Messengers in 2026
Private alternatives to WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, WeChat, vetted against our public criteria.
Showing 17 of 17
Grouped by threat level
Covered Easy start and good defaults for everyone
Delta Chat
Delta Chat doesn't have their own servers but uses the most massive and diverse open messaging system ever: the existing e-mail server network. Chat with anyone if you know…
Brave Talk
The person creating the call requires to use Brave Browser, but the participants can join from any browser.
Jitsi Meet
Desktop version downloads can be found here .
Stoat
Open source, self-hostable Discord alternative, formerly Revolt. Built for communities that want off Discord, but it is not end-to-end encrypted.
iMessage
Apple's built-in messenger. End-to-end encrypted between Apple devices.
Hardened Some setup and real gains for the willing
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.…
Tox
Wide range of features but a highly experimental protocol, use with caution.
Jami
Jami: Instant messaging and video calling
Status
No phone number or email address is required to signup. Uses the peer-to-peer (p2p) messaging protocol Waku that removes centralized third parties from messages.
Linphone
Linphone: Video and instant messaging
Targeted Maximum effort for when you're a target
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…
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.…
Cwtch
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…
Ricochet Refresh
Based on Ricochet but improved security and compatibility with Tor Onion Services v3 instead of older v2.
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How they compare
| Tool | Identifier | Based in | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Phone number | United States | Free |
| | None | United Kingdom | Free |
| | Phone number | · | Free |
| | None | Switzerland | Free |
| | None | Switzerland | Paid |
| | None | · | Free |
| | None | · | Free |
| | None | · | Free |
| | Email address | Germany | Free |
| | None | · | Free |
| | None | · | Free |
| | None | United States | Freemium |
| | None | United States | Free |
| | None | Switzerland | Free |
| | Username | · | Free |
| | SIP address | France | Free |
| | Phone number | United States | Free |
Encrypting message content is now table stakes; the real differences are in the metadata, who you talk to and when, and whether the app needs your identity at all. These messengers protect that layer too, from easy everyday apps to metadata-resistant tools for high-risk use. Match the app to who you are hiding from, because the strongest tool for an activist is overkill for a family group chat.
Why you can’t just turn off tracking in WhatsApp
There is no setting inside WhatsApp that hides who you message from Meta, because the social graph is the asset the platform keeps. The contents are end-to-end encrypted, but the metadata, who you talk to, how often, and when, flows to the company and is tied to the phone number you registered with. You cannot opt out of contact discovery, and you cannot detach the account from your number. The only real fix is a messenger that never gathers that pattern in the first place, which is what the picks on this page are designed around.
Content encryption is the easy part
Most major messengers encrypt content now, even WhatsApp, so encryption alone no longer tells you much. What separates the apps here is everything around the message: the social graph, the timing, and whether you must hand over a phone number or a real identity. Metadata by itself can map your whole life, which is why the strongest options minimise what the service learns rather than only what it can read. Signal leans on encryption that protects metadata as well, while a tool like SimpleX Chat is built so there is no account identifier to collect at all.
What to look for in a private messenger
Four things matter most. End-to-end encryption on by default, so a single conversation is never left in the clear by accident. Real metadata minimisation, so the service does not become a map of your relationships. Open-source and independently audited code, so the security claims have been checked by people outside the company. And no requirement to expose your phone number or real name, since an identifier is the easiest thing to subpoena. For group and team chat the same criteria apply, with a preference for tools that do not log who is in the room.
How we pick these messengers
Every messenger here is measured against our public listing criteria, and we only list one we would actually trust our own conversations to. We weigh encryption defaults, how much metadata the design leaks, whether the code is open and audited, and what identity it demands at signup. We do not pretend any single app wins for everyone, because Briar routing over Tor and an easy default-on app solve very different problems. We say plainly where each one trades convenience for resistance, so you can match the tool to the people you are actually hiding from.
Match the tool to your threat model
For everyday private chat with friends and family, an easy app with end-to-end encryption on by default is the right call, and the hard part is just getting people to install it. For higher-risk situations, metadata-resistant tools that route over Tor or work peer-to-peer hide who is talking to whom in exchange for some convenience and polish. There is no single best messenger, only the best one for your situation, and many people run an easy app for daily life alongside a hardened one for the conversations that need it.
How to switch
Pick the app that fits your risk, install it, and bring over the people you talk to most, because a messenger is only as useful as the contacts you can reach on it. Start with a small circle and let it grow rather than trying to move everyone at once. If you are leaving a specific platform, our WhatsApp alternatives and Discord alternatives pages walk through the move, and for workplace rooms our team chat picks carry the same standards into group settings. The encryption only protects a conversation when both ends are on the same app, so the social step is the whole job.
Frequently asked
- Isn't WhatsApp already encrypted?
- Message content is, but Meta still sees the metadata: who you talk to, how often, and when. No setting hides that from the platform, and it is tied to the phone number you signed up with. The messengers here minimise that metadata, not just the message body, which is the part WhatsApp leaves exposed.
- Do my contacts need the same app?
- Yes, and that is the real work of switching. Messaging only works when both people use it, so the move is social rather than technical. Start with the handful of people you talk to most and grow from there. The encryption protects a conversation only when everyone in it is on the same app.
- Which one is the most private?
- It depends on who you are hiding from. For everyday privacy, an easy app with end-to-end encryption by default is plenty. For high-risk use, a metadata-resistant tool that runs over Tor or peer-to-peer hides who is talking to whom, at the cost of convenience. There is no single winner, only the right fit for a threat model.
- Do I need to give a phone number to use these?
- Some, but not all. A few link your account to a phone number for contact discovery, while others let you sign up with just a username or no identifier at all. If keeping your number out of it matters, that is one of the first things to check, and several picks here are built around exactly that.
- What is metadata and why does it matter if my messages are encrypted?
- Metadata is everything around the message: who you contacted, when, how often, and from where. Even with the contents encrypted, that pattern can map your relationships and routines. A service that minimises metadata learns as little as possible about the shape of your conversations, not just their words.
- Are these messengers safe for group and team chat?
- Yes, and the same standards apply. For groups, favour tools that encrypt by default and do not log who is in the room. Some apps here scale comfortably to communities and teams; if your need is workplace coordination rather than personal chat, our team chat picks cover that side.