Communication

Best secure messaging apps

Send private messages and make calls that the service, and anyone listening in, cannot read. 12 secure messaging apps, ranked by points out of 100.

Facts checked 8 Oct 2026 · How we score secure messaging apps

In short

SimpleX Chat ranks first with 86 points out of 100, ahead of Threema (79) and Wire (78).
SimpleX Chat is the best secure messaging app you can use for free (#1, 86 points).
The lowest price here is Threema at $6/yr (cost for one person).
Points come from 15 published rules. We did not install or test the software.

1
SimpleX ChatPeople who want a messenger that holds no account identifier or phone number
86/100
$0cost for one person
2
ThreemaPeople who want a messenger with no phone number and no subscription
79/100
$6/yrcost for one person
3
WirePeople who want default encryption and open-source apps without handing over a phone number
78/100
$0cost for one person
4
ElementPeople who want open-source apps on every platform and no phone number
69/100
$0cost for one person
5
SignalPeople who want private chats by default and open-source apps, and accept sharing a phone number
67/100
$0cost for one person
6
JamiPeople who want a free, serverless messenger with no phone number
63/100
$0cost for one person
7
SessionPeople who want an anonymous account and open-source desktop and mobile apps
63/100
$0cost for one person
8
OlvidPeople who want a messenger that needs no phone number or email
60/100
$66.98/yrcost for one person
9
TelegramPeople who want very large groups and sync across devices and accept that normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted
54/100
$0cost for one person
10
WhatsAppPeople who need a messenger their contacts already use and accept a phone-number account
51/100
$0cost for one person
11
LINEPeople who chat with contacts in Japan, Taiwan or Thailand
42/100
$0cost for one person
12
ViberPeople who need a free app that their contacts already use
41/100
$0cost for one person

How the points add up

Points earned out of the points available in each part of the method.

Product	Encryption of 20	Source and audits of 26	Sign-up and identity of 16	Chats and calls of 14	Systems of 16	Price of 8	Total
SimpleX Chat	16	22	16	10	14	8	86
Threema	12	26	16	7	12	6	79
Wire	16	12	16	12	14	8	78
Element	16	8	16	5	16	8	69
Signal	20	8	4	13	14	8	67
Jami	12	8	16	5	14	8	63
Session	12	12	16	1	14	8	63
Olvid	12	8	16	10	14	0	60
Telegram	0	12	4	14	16	8	54
WhatsApp	16	4	0	13	10	8	51
LINE	12	0	12	2	8	8	42
Viber	12	4	0	7	10	8	41

Each secure messaging app in brief

1. SimpleX Chat

SimpleX Chat suits people who want to chat without handing over a phone number or any account ID, with open code and outside reviews behind it. Its transparency report covers 2025. The catch: no web app, calls are one-to-one only, and disappearing messages need set-up by the people involved.

Best for: People who want a messenger that holds no account identifier or phone number. Prices, facts and sources

2. Threema

Threema suits people who want a one-time purchase and an account that is not tied to a phone number. Its code is public, it publishes audit reports, and it lists government requests each year. The catch: the usual desktop app and web client need your phone online, and only a beta works without it. Group chats are capped at 256 members.

Best for: People who want a messenger with no phone number and no subscription. Prices, facts and sources

3. Wire

Wire suits people who want encryption by default, open-source apps and an account that does not need a phone number. The free plan covers chats and encrypted calls. The catch: Wire names no outside audit on its pages, has no bug bounty, and the pricing page focuses on teams rather than personal accounts.

Best for: People who want default encryption and open-source apps without handing over a phone number. Prices, facts and sources

4. Element

Element suits people who want open-source apps on every system and an account with no phone number. Element describes encryption as default, and chat keys can be backed up under a recovery key. The catch: Element runs no bug bounty and links only a 2016 outside audit, and its pages state no group-size limit, no disappearing-message timer and no transparency report.

Best for: People who want open-source apps on every platform and no phone number. Prices, facts and sources

5. Signal

Signal suits people who want strong default privacy at no cost, with public code and post-quantum key exchange. Secure Backups are end-to-end encrypted and optional. The catch: you must register with a phone number, and no web app is listed.

Best for: People who want private chats by default and open-source apps, and accept sharing a phone number. Prices, facts and sources

6. Jami

Jami suits people who want a free, open-source messenger that needs no phone number and needs no server to relay messages. It scores on openness, platforms and price. The catch: the vendor pages do not publish an outside audit, a bug bounty, a transparency report, a group size limit or disappearing messages.

Best for: People who want a free, serverless messenger with no phone number. Prices, facts and sources

7. Session

Session suits people who want an account with no phone number or email, and open-source apps on desktop and mobile. Core messaging is free. The catch: the only audit it links is from 2021, groups top out at 100 people, there is no web app, and calls are beta.

Best for: People who want an anonymous account and open-source desktop and mobile apps. Prices, facts and sources

8. Olvid

Olvid suits people who want a messenger with no phone number and ANSSI security certificates. Messages are free, with open mobile app code on GitHub. The catch: outgoing calls and multi-device sync need a paid licence after a one-month trial, and its audits are older than 2022.

Best for: People who want a messenger that needs no phone number or email. Prices, facts and sources

9. Telegram

Telegram suits people who want big groups, multi-device sync and open-source apps. Its bug bounty pays $100 to $100,000 or more. The catch: everyday chats are not end-to-end encrypted, and a phone number is required to register.

Best for: People who want very large groups and sync across devices and accept that normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Prices, facts and sources

10. WhatsApp

WhatsApp suits people who want default encryption on a messenger that is free and widely used. It covers Windows, Mac, mobile and web. The catch: the account depends on a mobile number, the apps are not open source, and Meta's pages do not document post-quantum keys.

Best for: People who need a messenger their contacts already use and accept a phone-number account. Prices, facts and sources

11. LINE

LINE suits people who need a free messenger that their contacts already use, with encrypted chats on by default. It has desktop apps for Windows and Mac and groups of up to 500. The catch: group calls are not end-to-end encrypted, chat encryption is documented only for groups of up to 50, and sign-up needs a phone number in LINE's main markets.

Best for: People who chat with contacts in Japan, Taiwan or Thailand. Prices, facts and sources

12. Viber

Viber suits people who want a free app with default end-to-end encryption and are fine giving a phone number. It lists apps for five systems and publishes an EU report on government orders. The catch: it requires a phone number, group calls and backups fall outside its end-to-end encryption, and its security pages name no outside audit or bug bounty.

Best for: People who need a free app that their contacts already use. Prices, facts and sources

Every fact, side by side

Each row is one rule of the method and the points it is worth. "–" means the vendor does not publish it, which earns nothing.

Rule (points)	SimpleX Chat	Threema	Wire	Element	Signal	Jami	Session	Olvid	Telegram	WhatsApp	LINE	Viber
End-to-end encrypted by default (12)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Post-quantum key exchange (4)	Yes	–	–	–	Yes	–	No	No	–	–	–	–
Encrypted backups (4)	–	–	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	No	No	Yes	No	No
Open-source apps (8)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	–
Independent audit since 2022 (10)	Yes	Yes	–	No	–	–	No	No	–	–	–	–
Public bug bounty (4)	–	Yes	No	No	No	–	–	–	Yes	Yes	No	–
Transparency report (4)	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	–	Yes	–	–	–	–	Yes
No phone number needed (12)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Contacts by username (4)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	–
Disappearing messages (5)	Yes	–	Yes	–	Yes	–	–	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	Yes
Largest group chat (4)	–	256	500	–	1000	–	100	–	200000	1000	500	250
Encrypted voice and video calls (5)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Apps (12)	5 of 6	6 of 6	5 of 6	6 of 6	5 of 6	5 of 6	5 of 6	5 of 6	6 of 6	5 of 6	4 of 6	5 of 6
Windows works without the phone (4)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	–
Cost for one person (8)	$0	$6/yr	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$66.98/yr	$0	$0	$0	$0

Head to head

SimpleX Chat vs Threema
86 vs 79 points
SimpleX Chat vs Wire
86 vs 78 points
Threema vs Wire
79 vs 78 points

We read each vendor's own pages, record every fact with its source and date, and score it by the rules on how we score secure messaging apps. A tie goes to the lower price. Messaging apps for individuals and families with a generally available official Windows app or web app (beta does not count). Team chat, work messengers, email and phone-built-in apps are left out. A line that reads "on at least one plan" counts only plans for individuals. Vendor claims about speed or quality are shown on product pages but never scored. Prices are in US dollars before tax.