The Best Encrypted Messaging Apps in 2026
We researched encrypted messaging apps from official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. Rankings weigh each app’s core messaging job, value for money and verified features such as encryption, calls, device support and privacy controls.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
Signal#1 of 449.4/10A free, private messaging app with broad calling, sharing, and platform support.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
WhatsApp#2 of 449.3/10A free, feature-rich choice for encrypted everyday messaging and calls.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
Element#3 of 449.1/10Encrypted collaboration with flexible deployment, open source foundations, and broad platform support.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 44 tools, best first
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Best forMost people wanting private messaging
A free, private messaging app with broad calling, sharing, and platform support.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Signal -
Best forFree mainstream messaging with encryption
A free, feature-rich choice for encrypted everyday messaging and calls.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
9.3/10★★★★★Visit WhatsApp -
Best forTeams needing encrypted, extensible collaboration
Encrypted collaboration with flexible deployment, open source foundations, and broad platform support.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Element -
Best forEnterprise encrypted collaboration
A broad encrypted workspace with free essentials and enterprise administration options.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Wire -
Best forFree social messaging with encrypted chats
A broad free messenger with default encryption for personal chats and calls.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Messenger -
Best forOpen-source messaging with email interoperability
A free, open-source messenger that combines default encryption with email interoperability.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Delta Chat -
Best forPrivacy-focused users avoiding phone numbers
A privacy-focused, open-source messenger that avoids user profile identifiers.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit SimpleX Chat -
Best forLong-established free peer-to-peer calling
A mature free communication app with broad calling features and a focused integration set.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Jami -
Best forAnonymous encrypted messaging with onion routing
A privacy-focused messenger with broad platform support and a 10 MB attachment limit.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Session -
Best forManaged secure communications for enterprises
A managed secure communications suite for organizations handling sensitive conversations.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Silent Phone -
Best forKeeper users wanting secure private and group chats
A free personal chat app with encrypted messaging and a business add-on for Keeper accounts.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit KeeperChat -
Best forUsers wanting anonymous, polished paid messaging
A polished, anonymous messaging suite with strong privacy features and no free plan.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Threema -
Best forOffline and censorship-resistant messaging
A free, open-source choice for private messaging when centralized servers are a concern.
- Disappearing messages
- Desktop app
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Briar -
Best forAndroid XMPP users needing encrypted calls
A focused Android XMPP client with encrypted calls, groups, files, and account support.
- Voice and video calls
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Conversations -
Best forFree peer-to-peer calls and file sharing
A free open-source choice for encrypted calls, groups, screen sharing, and file transfers.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Tox -
Best forLarge free groups with basic private chat
A broad-platform free messenger for large groups, with mixed encryption coverage.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit imo -
Best forApple users seeking free encrypted XMPP chat
A free Apple-focused XMPP client with OMEMO encryption, calls, and media sharing.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Monal -
Best forFree peer-to-peer messaging and large transfers
A free, private messaging app for large transfers and peer-to-peer communication.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Keet -
Best forFeature-rich encrypted communication
A broad encrypted communications suite with plans for individuals and teams.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Cyph -
Best forOrganizations needing identity-free secure chat
A privacy-focused chat app with broad platform support and paid business controls.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Olvid -
Best forPhone-free private mobile conversations
A private mobile messenger for conversations without phone or email sign-up.
- Voice and video calls
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Skred -
Best forMatrix users wanting a broad open-source client
A broad Matrix client with strong privacy features, but experimental calling.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit FluffyChat -
Best forTor-based private peer-to-peer chat
Free, open-source Tor messaging for private peer-to-peer conversations.
- Desktop app
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Cwtch -
Best forLinux users needing encrypted XMPP calls
A capable encrypted XMPP client for Linux users who value decentralization.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Dino -
Best forDesktop XMPP messaging with optional encryption
A capable desktop XMPP client for users who value provider choice and open-source messaging.
- Desktop app
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Gajim -
Best foriOS users needing a simple XMPP client
A free, open-source iOS XMPP client with calls, rooms, files, and optional OMEMO.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Siskin IM -
Best forAndroid users wanting a Signal-compatible client
A privacy-focused Android messaging client with extra local security controls.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Molly -
Best foriOS users needing specialized encrypted XMPP
A focused iOS XMPP client for users who want open, encrypted messaging.
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit ChatSecure -
Best forXMPP users wanting modern encrypted chat
A capable open-source XMPP client, with experimental calls and ecosystem limits.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Kaidan -
Best forAndroid users seeking advanced encrypted XMPP
A focused Android XMPP client with default encryption and advanced identity controls.
- Voice and video calls
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit OMEMO Chat -
Best forAnonymous peer-to-peer messaging specialists
A focused choice for anonymous, serverless messaging and file sharing.
- Desktop app
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Speek! -
Best forPeople seeking open-source encrypted channels
A free messaging app for encrypted chats, groups, channels and calls across major platforms.
- Voice and video calls
- Desktop app
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit iGap -
Best forDecentralized communities without phone identifiers
A private, phone-free messenger for decentralized communities and smaller groups.
- Desktop app
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Status -
Best forOffline mesh messaging and emergency use
A free, open-source choice for offline mesh messaging and emergency communication.
- Desktop app
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit BitChat -
Best forBasic encrypted messaging on iOS
A free iPhone app for encrypted chats, calls, media sharing, and disappearing messages.
- Disappearing messages
5.7/10★★★☆☆Visit StealthChat -
Best forUsers wanting read-triggered disappearing messages
Confide pairs read-triggered disappearing messages with screenshot prevention across mobile and desktop.
- Disappearing messages
- Desktop app
5.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Confide -
Best forMobile users wanting phone-free encrypted calls
A mobile-only messenger for encrypted calls without personal phone-number registration.
- Disappearing messages
- Voice and video calls
5.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Zangi -
Best forFree Android phone-number messaging
A free Android messenger for phone-number-based encrypted conversations.
- Desktop app
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Kontalk -
Best forMobile-first offline and anonymous messaging
A free, open-source messenger for private chats that can work without internet access.
- Desktop app
5.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Berty -
Best forPhonebook-based XMPP messaging on mobile
A free mobile XMPP client with broad messaging features and optional encryption.
- Voice and video calls
5.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Quicksy -
Best forMobile-first offline and anonymous messaging
A free, open-source messenger for private chats that can work without internet access.
5.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Berty -
Best forQuick browser-only private chats
A free, temporary browser chat for quick one-to-one conversations.
5.1/10★★★☆☆Visit otr.to -
Best forTeams combining encrypted chat and file collaboration
A free, open-source workspace where encrypted files complement team chat.
5.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Keybase -
Best forSocial users wanting messaging plus services
A free mobile app for messaging, calls, social features, payments, and task services.
- Voice and video calls
4.9/10★★☆☆☆Visit OIChat
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Encryption coverage | Desktop app | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signal | Yes | $1.99/mo | Default | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Element | Yes | 9.1 | |||
| 4 | Wire | Yes | €7.45/user/mo | 8.9 | ||
| 5 | Messenger | Yes | Free | Default | 8.7 | |
| 6 | Delta Chat | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 8.6 |
| 7 | SimpleX Chat | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 8.5 |
| 8 | Jami | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 8.4 |
| 9 | Session | Yes | $2.99/mo | Mixed | Yes | 8.3 |
| 10 | Silent Phone | 8.2 | ||||
| 11 | KeeperChat | Yes | 8.1 | |||
| 12 | Threema | No | $3/user/mo | Default | Yes | 8.0 |
| 13 | Briar | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 7.9 |
| 14 | Conversations | Yes | Default | 7.8 | ||
| 15 | Tox | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 7.7 |
| 16 | imo | Yes | Free | Mixed | Yes | 7.6 |
| 17 | Monal | Yes | Free | Mixed | Yes | 7.5 |
| 18 | Keet | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 7.4 |
| 19 | Cyph | Yes | $9/mo | Default | Yes | 7.3 |
| 20 | Olvid | Yes | €4.99/user/mo | Default | Yes | 7.2 |
| 21 | Skred | Yes | Default | No | 7.1 | |
| 22 | FluffyChat | Yes | Free | Mixed | Yes | 7.0 |
| 23 | Cwtch | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 6.9 |
| 24 | Dino | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 6.8 |
| 25 | Gajim | Yes | Free | Yes | 6.7 | |
| 26 | Siskin IM | Yes | Free | Mixed | Yes | 6.6 |
| 27 | Molly | Yes | Free | Default | No | 6.5 |
| 28 | ChatSecure | Yes | Free | Mixed | No | 6.4 |
| 29 | Kaidan | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 6.3 |
| 30 | OMEMO Chat | No | Default | No | 6.2 | |
| 31 | Speek! | Free | Default | Yes | 6.1 | |
| 32 | iGap | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 6.0 |
| 33 | Status | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 5.9 |
| 34 | BitChat | Yes | Free | Mixed | Yes | 5.8 |
| 35 | StealthChat | Yes | Free | Default | 5.7 | |
| 36 | Confide | Yes | Default | Yes | 5.6 | |
| 37 | Zangi | Yes | $5/user/mo | Default | No | 5.5 |
| 38 | Kontalk | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 5.4 |
| 39 | Berty | Yes | Free | Default | Yes | 5.3 |
| 40 | Quicksy | Yes | Free | Optional | 5.3 | |
| 41 | Berty Messenger | Yes | Free | Default | 5.2 | |
| 42 | otr.to | Yes | Free | No | 5.1 | |
| 43 | Keybase | Yes | Free | 5.0 | ||
| 44 | OIChat | Yes | Free | No | 4.9 |
Head-to-head All 25 comparisons →
- Signal vs WhatsApp
- Signal vs Element
- Signal vs Wire
- Signal vs Messenger
- Signal vs Delta Chat
- Signal vs SimpleX Chat
- Signal vs Jami
- WhatsApp vs Element
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How we rank encrypted messaging apps
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update