The best secure messaging apps use encryption to keep your chats and talks private and stop people who shouldn’t be able to from listening in. End-to-end encryption is used by the most safe messaging apps. This means that only the person who sent the message and the person who received it can see the conversation.
Encryption in a secure messaging app protects your data and makes you more private in general. If you use a messaging app that doesn’t encrypt your messages, the company that runs the app, marketers, and hackers could see what you say. A data breach could also make your messages public. Your private information could even be sold online or used for identity theft and other online crimes.
Your phone is an easy target because it has so much personal information on it. Learn the signs of phone hacking, use strong passwords to protect your devices, and use one of the best password tools to keep track of all your passwords. Below we have mentioned the best secure messaging apps.
Best Secure Messaging Apps Comparison Table
| Platform | Price | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Visit Website | |
| Telegram | Free | Visit Website |
| Signal | Free | Visit Website |
| Threema | $2.99 | Visit Website |
| iMessage | Pre-installed on Apple devices | Visit Website |
Features
- Users can share text messages, voice messages, photos, videos, documents, and other files.
- Voice and video calls are both possible.
- All texts and calls are encrypted from end to end.
- Has a group chat function that up to 256 people can use at once.
- Allows you to share your live location with your friends.
- Supports WhatsApp Web, which lets users view their WhatsApp account from a desktop computer.
WhatsApp is the most popular chat and voice app in the world. More than two billion people use it every month. Many of your friends probably already use WhatsApp, so it’s a great way to get started with encrypted messaging apps. Currently, this is one of the best secure messaging apps you can install now.
WhatsApp uses end-to-end security and lets you back up all of your chats in an encrypted format. Also, messages are not kept on its computers. Plus, WhatsApp has two-step verification, which means that you need a PIN on any device to prove your phone number. And because the app only uses a small amount of data in the background, you may be able to save money on your phone bill.
Some people don’t like that Meta (which used to be Facebook) owns WhatsApp. WhatsApp shares data with other Meta companies, so your information could be used to show you ads that are more relevant to you. Also, spam text messages and even spyware threats have been sent through WhatsApp. This may be because so many people use it.
Pros
- Used a lot and has a big number of users.
- End-to-end encryption makes sure that texts are very safe.
- It lets you make sound and video calls and share files, photos, and videos.
- Useful on more than one device.
- Has a design that is easy to use and is simple to use.
Cons
- It is owned by Facebook, which has raised privacy worries.
- Due to past security holes, it may not be as safe as other chat apps.
- Only one device at a time can use it.
- May need a phone number to use, which could be an issue for privacy.
Telegram
Features
- Users can share text messages, voice messages, photos, videos, documents, and other files.
- Voice and video calls are both possible.
- Offers encryption from end to end for private talks.
- Has a tool for group chats that lets up to 200,000 people join.
- Gives you the option to make channels, which are broadcast-only groups that can have as many members as you want.
- Supports Telegram Bots, which are automated accounts that users can talk to, get information from, and do jobs with.
Telegram is like WhatsApp and other private texting apps in how it works. It lets you make messages and calls to other Telegram users, have group chats, and send files. Telegram has a smooth, easy-to-use interface that is great for sending messages to groups (up to 20,000 people!). Telegram is a popular social media tool that can also be used to send messages.
Because Telegram is in the cloud, all of your texts and pictures are kept on a safe server. This lets you get to your data from any gadget that can connect, on a number of different platforms. But if their servers are hacked, this leaves your info open to being stolen.
Telegram has end-to-end encryption, but it’s not turned on by default. Only when “secret chats” is turned on can encrypted messages be sent. When you switch to this mode, Telegram will also stop saving your information on their computers. For now, this is one of the best secure messaging apps you can install now.
Pros
- End-to-end encryption makes sure that texts are very safe.
- Useful on more than one device.
- Allows big groups and channels with up to 200,000 people to be made.
- Has a design that is easy to use and is simple to use.
- Messages can be set to disappear after a certain amount of time, making it easier to stay private.
Cons
- Not every message is encrypted from end to end by default.
- People have said that it is popular with terrorists and other crime groups.
- May need a phone number to use, which could be an issue for privacy.
- Not as popular as other apps for sending messages.
Signal
Features
- Users can share text messages, voice messages, photos, videos, documents, and other files.
- Voice and video calls are both possible.
- All texts and calls are encrypted from end to end.
- Has a group chat function that up to 1000 people can use at once.
- Provides the ability to send messages that instantly delete themselves after a certain amount of time.
- Signal Desktop is supported, so users can log in to their Signal account on a desktop machine.
Signal is thought to be one of the most secure texting apps out there because it encrypts your calls and texts all the way from one end to the other. Its encryption system is so safe that popular apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger also use it. Still, this is one of the best secure messaging apps you can install now.
Signal lets you message, call, video chat, and share files and photos, just like other apps. It also lets you send messages that disappear to protect your privacy. To sign up, you need a phone number, and we suggest putting a password on the app to keep it safe. For people who care about security, all of your info is kept on your device and not on remote servers.
Signal is not owned by a “Big Tech” business. Instead, it is open source and is paid for by grants and donations. Signal is different from other private texting apps because it doesn’t have ads, affiliates, or secret tracking. This means you don’t have to mess with a “do not track” option. Also, because the app is open-source, it goes through regular security checks to make it even safer.
Pros
- End-to-end encryption makes sure that texts are very safe.
- It lets you make sound and video calls and share files, photos, and videos.
- Useful on more than one device.
- Has a design that is easy to use and is simple to use.
- Has a reputation for being one of the most safe apps for sending messages.
Cons
- Not as popular as other apps for sending messages.
- May need a phone number to use, which could be an issue for privacy.
- Some people have said that their messages aren’t getting through.
- Doesn’t allow you to make big groups or channels.
Threema
Features
- Users can share text messages, voice messages, photos, videos, documents, and other files.
- All texts, voice calls, and video calls are encrypted all the way from one end to the other.
- Has a group chat function that up to 50 people can use at once.
- It lets you make polls inside of group chats.
- Supports the ability to use QR codes to confirm the names of contacts.
- Signing up doesn’t require a phone number or email address, and it doesn’t keep any user information on its computers.
Threema is a messaging app that is completely secure and open source. Its company offices are in Switzerland. It has texts, voice and video calls, and group chats, just like other apps. But unlike its rivals, Threema doesn’t need a phone number or email to use. This makes it one of the best secure messaging apps for privacy because it doesn’t need a phone number or email.
Threema puts an emphasis on keeping information safe. It forever deletes a message from its servers after it’s delivered. Threema likes to manage information locally on user devices instead of on servers to stop people from listening in. The bad thing about Threema’s strong protection is that it isn’t free. Also, the app hasn’t caught on outside of places where people speak German. Overall, this is one of the best secure messaging apps you can install now.
Pros
- End-to-end encryption makes sure that texts are very safe.
- Doesn’t need a phone number to use, which makes it more private.
- Useful on more than one device.
- It lets you make polls and surveys right inside the app.
- Has a reputation for being one of the most safe apps for sending messages.
Cons
- Not as popular as other apps for sending messages.
- To use, you have to pay a one-time fee, which could be a problem for some people.
- Doesn’t allow you to make big groups or channels.
- It might not be as easy to use as some other chat apps.
iMessage
Features
- Allows Apple devices to share text messages, photos, videos, and papers.
- It lets Apple products make voice and video calls to each other.
- All texts and calls are encrypted from end to end.
- Has a group chat function that up to 200 people can use at once.
- Allows Apple Pay to be used to give and receive money.
- It works with Animoji, Memoji, and stickers, among other engaging features.
iMessage from Apple is a secure texting service that only works on iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. It can send and receive private messages between users, but it can also handle SMS messages that aren’t encrypted.
iCloud, Apple’s cloud storage service, can be used to back up iMessage data. iCloud is a handy way to send and store data, but it can be hacked and your private information could be stolen. Thus, this is one of the best secure messaging apps you can install now.
Even though your texts are encrypted, your phone numbers and contact lists are listed in plain text. Your metadata is also not encrypted, which gives hackers a way to get into your computer. Use the best privacy and security apps for iPhone to stay safe on iOS while you use iMessage.
Pros
- Messages can be encrypted from start to finish.
- It is easy to use because it is already on all Apple devices.
- It lets you make sound and video calls and share files, photos, and videos.
- Useful on more than one device.
- Has a design that is easy to use and is simple to use.
Cons
- Only for Apple users, which reduces the number of people who can use it.
- Because Apple might be able to read texts, it might not be as safe as other messaging apps.
- Can’t be used on devices that aren’t Apple.
- Doesn’t allow you to make big groups or channels.
FAQs
Secure messaging apps are those that use encryption to keep users’ texts private and safe. End-to-end encryption is used by these apps, which means that only the sender and the receiver can read the messages. Not even the makers of the app can read the messages.
Use secure chat apps to keep your private information and privacy safe from people who shouldn’t be able to see it. Many chat apps collect information about their users and may use that information for advertising or other reasons. This can put your privacy at risk. By using secure messaging apps, you can be sure that your texts can’t be read by anyone but the person you want to send them to.
End-to-end encryption means that only the person who sent the message and the person who got it can read it. But Facebook owns WhatsApp, and Facebook has been attacked for the way it collects information. Some experts are also worried that WhatsApp’s encryption system could have holes in it.
