saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

secure messaging app · Wire Swiss GmbH

Wire

Open-source messenger with end-to-end encryption always on, a free plan and email sign-up.

78/100

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

In short

Wire suits people who want encryption by default, open-source apps and an account that does not need a phone number3,5,9. The free plan covers chats and encrypted calls1,3. The catch: Wire names no outside audit on its pages, has no bug bounty, and the pricing page focuses on teams rather than personal accounts1,7,11.

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

Where the points come from

Encryption16 of 20
Source and audits12 of 26
Sign-up and identity16 of 16
Chats and calls12 of 14
Systems14 of 16
Price8 of 8

Encryption 16 of 20 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
End-to-end encrypted by defaultYesWire says end-to-end encryption is always enabled by default and cannot be disabled; it covers messages, calls and files3.12 / 12
Post-quantum key exchangeNot publishedNot published on the vendor's MLS page8; it says only that newer post-quantum algorithms can be swapped in later.0 / 4
Encrypted backupsYesWhitepaper (July 2021): iOS and Android backups are encrypted with XChaCha20-Poly1305, using a key derived from a password you choose9.4 / 4

Source and audits 12 of 26 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Open-source appsYesAndroid, iOS, web and desktop app repositories on GitHub are all GPL-3.05.8 / 8
Independent audit since 2022Not publishedNot published on the vendor's security page3. Its whitepaper page says code is "frequently independently audited" but names no firm or date11.0 / 10
Public bug bountyNoThe vulnerability reporting page says Wire has no bug bounty programme in place yet7.0 / 4
Transparency reportYesThe transparency report lists request counts by year, 2014 to 20256.4 / 4

Sign-up and identity 16 of 16 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
No phone number neededYesWhitepaper (July 2021) describes registration with a profile name and email address, as an alternative to a phone number9.12 / 12
Contacts by usernameYesWhitepaper (July 2021): people can be found by name or by username10.4 / 4

Chats and calls 12 of 14 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Disappearing messagesYesTimers remove texts, files and other messages in one-to-one and group chats4.5 / 5
Largest group chat500Pricing table lists 500 for the free plan and 2,000 for the business plans with MLS; the free-plan figure is used1.2 / 4
Encrypted voice and video callsYesOne-to-one calls use SRTP and conference calls use Insertable Streams, both end-to-end encrypted by default3.5 / 5

Systems 14 of 16 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
AppsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, WebDownload page lists these as apps or web app. Linux is labelled community-supported and experimental, so not counted2.10 / 12
Windows works without the phoneYesAccounts are created with an email address, not linked to a phone, so the desktop and web apps run on their own9.4 / 4

Price 8 of 8 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Cost for one person$0Pricing page lists Wire for Free at no cost and shows no fee for personal accounts1.8 / 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.

PlanPrice as listedPer monthNotes
Wire for FreeSmall teams of up to 5 peopleFree1$0Up to 8 devices; groups up to 500 people
SMBTeams up to 100 people€7.45/person/month, billed yearly1–€8.94 per person billed monthly; business plan

The pricing page links personal accounts to the app download and shows no fee for them1. The SMB plan is priced in euros and is a business plan1.

Strengths

  • Encryption is on by default for messages, files and calls, and cannot be disabled3.
  • Timed self-deleting messages work in one-to-one and group chats4.
  • Accounts can be created with an email address, so no phone number is needed9.
  • Publishes a transparency report with request counts for each year up to 20256.

Limits

  • No outside audit is named on its security pages; it says only that code is "frequently independently audited"3,11.
  • Wire states it has no bug bounty programme yet7.
  • The Linux app is labelled community-supported and experimental2.
  • Post-quantum key exchange is not documented; the MLS page says only that newer algorithms can be swapped in later8.

What Wire Swiss GmbH says

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

  • Wire says its source code is fully transparent and 100% open source3.
  • Wire says it is the only platform fully secured by MLS3.

Other secure messaging apps

  1. 1
    SimpleX ChatPeople who want a messenger that holds no account identifier or phone number
    86/100
    $0cost for one person
  2. 2
    ThreemaPeople who want a messenger with no phone number and no subscription
    79/100
    $6/yrcost for one person
  3. 4
    ElementPeople who want open-source apps on every platform and no phone number
    69/100
    $0cost for one person
  4. 5
    SignalPeople who want private chats by default and open-source apps, and accept sharing a phone number
    67/100
    $0cost for one person

Wire vs SimpleX Chat · Wire vs Threema · All 12 secure messaging apps

Sources

  1. Wire pricing, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  2. Download Wire, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  3. Wire security, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  4. Wire features, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  5. wireapp on GitHub, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  6. Wire transparency report, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  7. Wire vulnerability reporting, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  8. Messaging Layer Security, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  9. Wire Security Whitepaper (July 19, 2021), Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  10. Wire Privacy Whitepaper (July 19, 2021), Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  11. Wire security whitepaper, Wire. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: wire.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Wire Swiss GmbH.