Threema

Paid Swiss messenger with no phone number or email required.

threema.com
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Price
PaidOne-time purchase of around 6 CHF (about $7) on Google Play or the App Store. No subscription. Pay through the store, with Bitcoin or with cash.
Works on
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web
Based in
Switzerland
Source code
Open source
Encryption
End-to-end encrypted
Payment
Accepts crypto

Paying for Threema is deliberate. A few dollars up front buys a messenger with no ads and no data harvesting from a company that answers to Swiss law. You get a random Threema ID rather than registering a phone number or email. You can buy the app anonymously with Bitcoin or cash. The apps themselves are open source. German private equity firm Comitis Capital bought Threema in early 2026; Threema AG and its servers remain in Switzerland. The cost is reach since everyone you message has to buy in too, which keeps the network smaller than the free options. The upside is a messenger with no reason to monetize you because you have already paid.

Strengths

  • No phone number or email, just a random Threema ID
  • One-time purchase, no ads or data harvesting
  • Open-source apps
  • Can be bought anonymously with Bitcoin or cash

Considerations

  • Costs money and your contacts must buy it too
  • Smaller network than the free messengers
  • Owned by a German private equity firm since 2026
Listed inMessaging

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