secure messaging app · Olvid SAS

Olvid

French messenger that needs no phone number, email or address book, with a free tier and a paid tier for outgoing calls.

60/100

#8 of 12 secure messaging apps
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

No phone number, email or SIM is needed to create a profile¹.
The free plan has unlimited messages and incoming calls; outgoing calls need a paid licence after a one-month trial^2,7.
The in-app licence costs 4.99 euros a month, taxes included².
ANSSI security certificates date from September 2020 and May 2021; the Synacktiv reports cover the same app versions^3,13.
Apps run on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android⁴.

Olvid suits people who want a messenger with no phone number and ANSSI security certificates^1,3. Messages are free, with open mobile app code on GitHub^2,8,9. The catch: outgoing calls and multi-device sync need a paid licence after a one-month trial, and its audits are older than 2022^2,3,13.

Best for: People who want a messenger that needs no phone number or email.

Where the points come from

Encryption12 of 20

Source and audits8 of 26

Sign-up and identity16 of 16

Chats and calls10 of 14

Systems14 of 16

Price0 of 8

Encryption 12 of 20 points

Rule	What is published	Points
End-to-end encrypted by default	YesHome page says messages and attachments are end-to-end encrypted; the Technology page says not even servers can read them^1,3.	12 / 12
Post-quantum key exchange	NoThe Technology page says public-key algorithms are not yet post-quantum and that this is still to come³.	0 / 4
Encrypted backups	NoBackups are encrypted with a key you hold, but hold profiles, contacts, groups and settings; messages and attachments are not included⁵.	0 / 4

Source and audits 8 of 26 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Open-source apps	YesiOS and Android app code is public on GitHub under AGPL-3.0, as is the engine used by the desktop versions^8,9.	8 / 8
Independent audit since 2022	NoANSSI certificates are dated September 2020 and May 2021, with Synacktiv reports for the same versions; none from 2022 or later^3,13.	0 / 10
Public bug bounty	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's Technology page or news page^3,13.	0 / 4
Transparency report	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's Technology page or news page^3,13.	0 / 4

Sign-up and identity 16 of 16 points

Rule	What is published	Points
No phone number needed	YesHome page says no phone number, email, name or address book access is needed¹.	12 / 12
Contacts by username	YesContacts are added by sharing your Olvid ID as a link; the page does not require a phone number¹².	4 / 4

Chats and calls 10 of 14 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Disappearing messages	YesEphemeral messages are set per discussion and default to all new contacts and groups, with timers from 5 seconds⁶.	5 / 5
Largest group chat	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's FAQ; it gives no member limit for group chats⁷.	0 / 4
Encrypted voice and video calls	YesFAQ says calls are end-to-end encrypted between devices, with the same cryptography as messages⁷.	5 / 5

Systems 14 of 16 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Apps	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidDownload page lists Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android versions with no beta label; Olvid Web is no longer maintained^4,10.	10 / 12
Windows works without the phone	YesDesktop apps let you create a first profile or import one; the page says nothing about needing the phone online¹¹.	4 / 4

Price 0 of 8 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Cost for one person	$66.98/yrIn-app licence, 4.99 euros a month, taxes included, for outgoing calls; the free plan limits them to a one-month trial^2,7. Converted at €1 = $1.1186¹⁴.	0 / 8

The rule behind each line: how we score secure messaging apps.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free1 person	Free²	$0	Unlimited messages; incoming calls; outgoing calls and sync only in a one-month trial
In-app purchase1 person	€4.99/month²	$5.58	Adds outgoing calls and multi-device sync; taxes included

The in-app price is shown with taxes included, in euros, and converted at the ECB rate².

Strengths

No phone number, email or SIM is needed¹.
Free plan includes unlimited messages and attachments, ephemeral messages and incoming calls².
Source code of the iOS and Android apps and the message server is public⁸.
Profile backups are encrypted with a key you hold, kept in your keychain or written down, not by Olvid⁵.
Desktop apps exist for Windows, macOS and Linux with no beta label⁴.

Limits

Outgoing calls and multi-device sync need a paid licence after a one-month trial^2,7.
The ANSSI certificates are dated 2020 and 2021, and the Technology page lists no later audit reports^3,13.
Post-quantum algorithms are not yet implemented, according to the Technology page³.
Profile backups exclude messages and attachments⁵.
Olvid Web is no longer maintained¹⁰.

What Olvid SAS says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Olvid says its free version is funded by paid options rather than by user data¹.

Other secure messaging apps

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

All 12 secure messaging apps

Sources

Olvid, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Pricing, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Technology, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Download Olvid, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Backup your profiles, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Ephemeral Messages, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Make secure audio and video calls, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Is Olvid open source?, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
olvid-io, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Use Olvid Web, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Use Olvid on a computer, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Add contacts remotely, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
News, Olvid. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar, European Central Bank. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: www.olvid.io · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Olvid SAS.