The Best Secure Messaging Apps in 2026
We researched secure messaging apps through official websites, pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on each app’s core job, value for money, and verified features such as account requirements, device support, privacy controls, and group capacity for private personal conversations.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
Signal#1 of 369.4/10Free, open-source messaging with encrypted calls, groups, and optional paid backups.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
WhatsApp#2 of 369.3/10A broadly available free messenger with strong everyday privacy features and wide platform support.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
Element#3 of 369.1/10A secure, extensible collaboration app for teams that need control and interoperability.
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 36 tools, best first
-
Best forMost users wanting secure messaging
Free, open-source messaging with encrypted calls, groups, and optional paid backups.
- Disappearing messages
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Signal -
Best forMainstream users and large groups
A broadly available free messenger with strong everyday privacy features and wide platform support.
- Disappearing messages
9.3/10★★★★★Visit WhatsApp -
Best forTeams needing secure, extensible collaboration
A secure, extensible collaboration app for teams that need control and interoperability.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Element -
Best forSecure enterprise collaboration
A broad secure workspace for enterprise messaging, calls, files, and administration.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Wire -
Best forFree users needing a complete private messenger
A free, private messenger with encryption by default and a broad feature set.
- Disappearing messages
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Delta Chat -
Best forPrivacy-focused users wanting anonymous accounts
Private messaging with anonymous connections, encrypted calls, and no paid plan.
- Disappearing messages
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit SimpleX Chat -
Best forUsers wanting secure calls and conferencing
A free, open-source choice for encrypted messaging, calls, and conferencing.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Jami -
Best forLarge communities and bot-enabled messaging
A broad messaging app for large communities, multi-device chats and bot-enabled workflows.
- Encrypted backups
- Multi-device support
- Desktop apps
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Telegram -
Best forUsers comfortable with a one-time purchase
A paid, open-source messenger with broad platform support and strong privacy features.
- Encrypted backups
- Multi-device support
- Desktop apps
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Threema -
Best forMainstream mobile-and-desktop messaging
A versatile free messenger with strong chat privacy but unencrypted backups.
- Multi-device support
- Desktop apps
- Disappearing messages
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Viber -
Best forOffline and censorship-resistant messaging
A free, open-source messenger for private communication without a central server.
- Disappearing messages
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Briar -
Best forAndroid XMPP users needing calls
A focused Android XMPP client with encrypted chats, calls, and federated connectivity.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Conversations -
Best forSmall groups wanting managed XMPP hosting
A private, open-source messenger for small groups, with hosting priced at $6 per month.
- Encrypted backups
- Multi-device support
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Snikket -
Best forApple users wanting mature XMPP messaging
A capable free XMPP client for Apple users who want OMEMO encryption and calls.
- Disappearing messages
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Monal -
Best forSecure messaging with decentralized communities
A free, privacy-focused messenger for decentralized communities, with a 20-member group limit.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Status -
Best forIndividuals and businesses needing managed security
Olvid offers private messaging across major platforms, with paid tiers for calls, syncing, and administration.
- Disappearing messages
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Olvid -
Best forFree cross-platform peer-to-peer messaging
A free cross-platform messenger for private chats, calls, groups, and direct file sharing.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Keet -
Best forAndroid users needing XMPP interoperability
A free, open-source Android messenger for XMPP users who need network gateways.
- Encrypted backups
- Multi-device support
- Disappearing messages
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Cheogram -
Best forMatrix users wanting encrypted backups
A free, open-source Matrix client with encrypted backups and experimental calls.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit FluffyChat -
Best forAndroid users prioritizing local app hardening
A free Android messenger focused on local app and database protection.
- Disappearing messages
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Molly -
Best forTeams needing encrypted file storage and chat
Free encrypted chat and file collaboration, with a 250 GB individual storage limit.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Keybase -
Best forLinux XMPP users wanting encrypted calls
A free, decentralized Linux XMPP client with default encryption and encrypted calls.
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Dino -
Best forDesktop XMPP users needing file sharing
A capable desktop XMPP client for encrypted chats, synchronization, and file sharing.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Gajim -
Best forSelf-hosters wanting a Matrix desktop client
A focused, self-hostable Matrix client with web and desktop apps.
- Desktop apps
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Cinny -
Best forMatrix users wanting customizable layouts
A flexible Matrix client family for users who value custom layouts over business collaboration features.
- Desktop apps
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit SchildiChat -
Best foriOS users needing XMPP security controls
A focused iOS XMPP client with layered encryption and Tor connectivity.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit ChatSecure -
Best forDesktop Matrix users who prioritize encryption
Free, open-source Matrix messaging for desktop, with an unaudited encryption implementation.
- Desktop apps
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Nheko -
Best forAnonymous Tor desktop messaging
A focused desktop messenger for anonymous, encrypted communication without accounts.
- Desktop apps
6.3/10★★★☆☆Try Ricochet Refresh -
Best forTor-first private peer-to-peer messaging
A free, open-source Tor-first messenger for private peer-to-peer communication.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Cwtch -
Best forPhone-contact users seeking federated messaging
A free mobile XMPP client for phone-contact messaging across federating servers.
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Quicksy -
Best forOffline mobile messaging without internet
A mobile-only option for messaging nearby people when internet access is unavailable.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Bridgefy -
Best forMobile users wanting large private groups
A mobile-first private messenger with large groups and device-only communication history.
- Disappearing messages
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Zangi -
Best forSimple open-source XMPP messaging
A free, open-source XMPP messenger with phone-number identity, now discontinued.
5.8/10★★★☆☆View Kontalk -
Best forHealthcare teams needing admin and audit controls
Encrypted clinical messaging with directory, identity, and audit controls.
5.6/10★★★☆☆Visit TigerConnect -
Best forOrganizations needing encrypted team chats and guests
Encrypted messaging, calls, and file sharing, with guest access on Enterprise.
5.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Crypho -
Best forSocial chat with calling and rewards
A free social messenger with broad calling and rewards features, but limited secure-messaging depth.
- Desktop apps
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit WowApp
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signal | Yes | $1.99/mo | 9.4 |
| 2 | Yes | Free | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Element | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 4 | Wire | Yes | €7.45/user/mo | 8.9 |
| 5 | Delta Chat | Yes | Free | 8.7 |
| 6 | SimpleX Chat | Yes | Free | 8.6 |
| 7 | Jami | Yes | Free | 8.5 |
| 8 | Telegram | Yes | 8.4 | |
| 9 | Threema | No | $7.49/unit one-time | 8.3 |
| 10 | Viber | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 11 | Briar | Yes | Free | 8.1 |
| 12 | Conversations | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 13 | Snikket | No | $6/mo | 7.9 |
| 14 | Monal | Yes | Free | 7.8 |
| 15 | Status | Yes | Free | 7.7 |
| 16 | Olvid | Yes | €4.99/user/mo | 7.6 |
| 17 | Keet | Yes | Free | 7.5 |
| 18 | Cheogram | Yes | Free | 7.4 |
| 19 | FluffyChat | Yes | Free | 7.3 |
| 20 | Molly | Yes | Free | 7.2 |
| 21 | Keybase | Yes | Free | 7.0 |
| 22 | Dino | Yes | Free | 6.9 |
| 23 | Gajim | Yes | Free | 6.8 |
| 24 | Cinny | Yes | Free | 6.7 |
| 25 | SchildiChat | Yes | Free | 6.6 |
| 26 | ChatSecure | Yes | Free | 6.5 |
| 27 | Nheko | Yes | Free | 6.4 |
| 28 | Ricochet Refresh | Yes | Free | 6.3 |
| 29 | Cwtch | Yes | Free | 6.2 |
| 30 | Quicksy | Yes | Free | 6.1 |
| 31 | Bridgefy | Yes | 6.0 | |
| 32 | Zangi | Yes | $5/user/mo | 5.9 |
| 33 | Kontalk | Yes | Free | 5.8 |
| 34 | TigerConnect Secure Text Messaging | 5.6 | ||
| 35 | Crypho | Yes | €379/mo | 5.5 |
| 36 | WowApp | Yes | Free | 5.4 |
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How we rank secure 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