SimpleX Chat
Messaging with no user identifiers at all, not even a random number.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
Read moreiMessage Alternatives
Fine between iPhones, but green-bubble texts fall back to plain SMS, and it locks you to Apple. A cross-platform encrypted app frees you. Here is what we recommend in its place.
Signal
The mainstream secure messenger, trusted and easy to use.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Session
Onion-routed messaging with no phone number and no central servers.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Element
Open, federated chat on the Matrix network, no phone number needed.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Threema
Paid Swiss messenger with no phone number or email required.
PaidOpen sourceEnd-to-end encryptedAccepts crypto
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Molly
A hardened fork of Signal for Android, with extra at-rest protection.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Delta Chat
Encrypted chat over ordinary email, with no new account needed.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Ricochet Refresh
Anonymous desktop chat over Tor with no servers or accounts.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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bitchat
Bluetooth mesh messaging that works with no internet at all.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Tox
Serverless peer-to-peer messaging with a cryptographic ID.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Jami
Distributed peer-to-peer calls and chat, a GNU project.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Briar
Peer-to-peer messaging over Tor that even works with no internet.
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
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Cwtch
Metadata-resistant messenger over Tor
FreeOpen sourceEnd-to-end encrypted
Read moreSee all 13 tools on the Messaging page, with the details for each.