Encrypted Instant Messenger
If you are currently using an Instant Messenger like Telegram, LINE, Viber, WhatsApp, or plain SMS you should pick an alternative here.
{% include cardv2.html
title="Signal"
image="/assets/img/tools/Signal.png"
description="Signal is a mobile app developed by Open Whisper Systems. The app provides instant messaging, as well as voice and video calling.
All communications are end-to-end encrypted. Signal is free and open source."
labels="success:VoIP"
website="https://signal.org/"
forum="https://forum.privacytools.io/t/discussion-signal/664"
github="https://github.com/signalapp"
playstore="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcrime.securesms"
windows="https://signal.org/download/"
mac="https://signal.org/download/"
linux="https://signal.org/download/"
playstore="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcrime.securesms"
android="https://signal.org/android/apk/#apk-danger"
ios="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669"
%}
{% include cardv2.html
title="Wire"
image="/assets/img/tools/wire.png"
description="A free software End-to-End Encrypted chatting application that supports instant messaging, voice, and video calls. Full source code is available."
labels="warning:Warning:Wire stores some plaintext metadata about its users on their servers. This data includes profile names, profile pictures, usernames, and users' lists of connections and conversations.|success:VoIP"
website="https://wire.com/"
forum="https://forum.privacytools.io/t/discussion-wire/750"
github="https://github.com/wireapp/"
windows="https://wire.com/en/download"
mac="https://wire.com/en/download"
linux="https://wire.com/en/download"
googleplay="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wire"
android="https://wire.com/en/download"
ios="https://itunes.apple.com/app/wire/id930944768?mt=8"
web="https://app.wire.com"
%}
Complete Comparison
Worth Mentioning
- Briar - An ultra-secure peer-to-peer instant messenger that connects to contacts via Direct Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Tor over the internet, keeping its users protected from surveillance and censorship.
- RetroShare - An E2E encrypted instant messaging and voice/video call client. RetroShare supports both TOR and I2P.
- XMPP - Federated instant messaging protocol with OMEMO, OTR, or OpenPGP end-to-end encryption:
- Conversations (Android) - An open source Jabber/XMPP client for Android 4.4+ smartphones. OMEMO
- Gajim (FreeBSD, Linux, Windows) - An open source fully featured XMPP client. OMEMO
- Monal (iOS, MacOS) - An XMPP client in active development. OMEMO VoIP
- Other OMEMO ready clients.
- Kontalk - A community-driven instant messaging network. Supports end-to-end encryption. Both client-to-server and server-to-server channels are fully encrypted.
- Keybase - Warning End-to-end encrypted messaging with social verification.
- Status - Experimental A free and open-source, peer-to-peer, encrypted instant messanger with support for DAPPs.
- Tox - Experimental A free and open-source, peer-to-peer, encrypted instant messaging and video calling software. VoIP
- Jami (formerly Ring/SFLphone) - Gives you full control over your communications and an unmatched level of privacy. Jami has text messaging, video and audio calls, file transfer, video conferencing. VoIP
Related Information