Stay secure online with our list of some of the best encrypted messaging apps
We all have private conversations we want to keep, well, private! Whether it’s an embarrassing story, office gossip, or opening up about your feelings, the last thing you want is for someone to see your messages or have them used to serve you ads. Unless you’re using an encrypted messaging app, you’re leaving it all out in the open.
Signal
A very safe, free, open-source messaging app that uses end-to-end encryption
- Handles group chats, SMS, voice, video, documents and picture messages
- Offers disappearing messages (with a timer)
- Signal protocol
- Open-source
- Doesn’t store user data or metadata
- Advocated by Edward Snowden
A well-known text messaging app that lets you send messages, voice messages, and files
- Uses Signal’s encryption
- Most of your friends are probably on it
- User-friendly and offers extra features
Wickr Me
A powerful and free encrypted messaging app with self-destructing messages
- You don’t need a phone number or an email to sign up
- Open-source
- Offers ‘shredder’ feature
- Doesn’t collect any user data or store metadata
- Offers Pro version for businesses
ChatSecure
Send files, videos, audio, and photos through the most secure encrypted messaging app
- XMPP with TLS certificate pinning.
- OTR for verifiable end-to-end encryption and forward secrecy.
- OMEMO for a mobile-friendly alternative to OTR.
- Tor to help bypass restrictive firewalls.
- SQLCipher to locally encrypt conversation logs.
Telegram
Enjoy fully-secured chat and group chats that cannot be accessed from any other device
- Offers disappearing messages and other extra features
- Easy-to-use interface
