Communication
Which messaging app fits your situation? From WhatsApp to Signal, SimpleX, Session, Threema, Briar, and Delta Chat — explained without assumptions.
WhatsApp and privacy: what the lock actually protects
WhatsApp encrypts your messages end-to-end. That is true. But the encryption only protects the content — not who you call, when, how often, and where you are. The full story.
Briar: encrypted messaging without internet, servers, or a phone number
Briar works without servers and without internet. Messages travel via Tor, Bluetooth, or WiFi Direct — even when the network is down. No registration, no central infrastructure.
Delta Chat: encrypted messaging over email, without a phone number or account
Delta Chat uses email infrastructure as its transport layer. No central servers, no phone number — and with a Chatmail server, no email address required either.
Session: encrypted messaging without a phone number or account
Session requires no phone number, no email address, and no central server. Messages travel through a decentralized network with onion routing — similar to how Tor works, but for chat.
SimpleX Chat: messaging without an account, phone number, or identity
SimpleX Chat is the only messaging app where the servers literally cannot know who is communicating with whom. No phone number, no username, no account — just a link.
Threema: encrypted messaging without a phone number, paid and Swiss
Threema requires no phone number and no email address. Your identity is a random 8-character ID. Servers store no metadata — and a Swiss court confirmed that's how it stays.