Security & privacy tools / Secure messaging13 tools

Best secure messaging apps

Chat with end-to-end encryption. Facts come from each tool's own pages, and every score says where it comes from. How we rank

Tools: 13
Researched: 4
Free option: 4
Only listed: 9

Disclosure: agathox makes some of the tools listed here. They are labelled and scored by the same method as every other tool.

Ranked by signals we can measure or quote: website health, the facts each tool's own pages state, and community discussion. Nothing here has been hands-on tested yet, so this is not a quality test. How the signals rank works

Quick answer

No signup needed: Threema

Based on what each tool's own pages say. A tool is left out when its pages say it varies or do not say. Details are listed under each tool.

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Want two of these head to head? Compare tools side by side.

1
Threema
Free optionNo signupFile handling unclearHealth 5
CompareOpen Threema
Details and sources
Free tier
Private app is a one-time purchase; a free option is not stated. A Professional work plan shows a Try for free button; trial length not stated.
Paid plan
Private: 6.00 one-time (depends on app store and country). Core work plan 3.00 per user and Professional 5.00 per user, billed monthly per user with an annual payment option. OnPrem custom. Currency selector CHF/EUR/USD; currency symbols not shown.
Signup
No phone number or email address is required to use Threema; users get a Threema ID.
Watermark
Not applicable.
Where files go
Page says messages are removed from Threema's servers right after delivery and connection details are not logged. Group membership data stays on users' devices.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Full page for Threema
2
Tuta
Free optionSignup unclearFile handling unclearHealth 5
CompareOpen Tuta
Details and sources
Free tier
A free account is offered with 1 GB storage, 1 calendar and 3 labels. No extra email addresses or custom domains on the free plan.
Paid plan
Revolutionary: 20 GB, unlimited calendars and labels, 15 extra addresses, 3 custom domains. Legend: 500 GB, unlimited calendars and labels, 30 extra addresses, 10 custom domains. Base prices not shown on the page; only family options: Revolutionary users 3 EUR per user per month, Legend users 8 EUR per user per month, shared mailbox 3 EUR (Revolutionary) or 8 EUR (Legend) per month.
Signup
The page says you can create an email account for free or with a paid plan and links to 'Create free account'. It does not explicitly say whether an account is required.
Watermark
Not stated.
Where files go
The privacy page says Tuta protects all data with strong encryption. It does not say where data is stored or how long it is kept.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Full page for Tuta
3
Jami
Free optionSignup unclearFile handling unclearHealth 4.6Community 3.6
CompareOpen Jami
Details and sources
Free tier
Jami is free software with no restrictions on file size, speed, bandwidth, features, number of accounts, or storage. The page says: “Free. As in free beer AND as in freedom. . . . Unlimited. Without restriction on file size, speed, bandwidth, features, number of accounts, storage or anything else.”
Paid plan
Not stated.
Signup
No personal information is required to create an account. The page says: “Multiple devices can be linked to a Jami account, and no personal information is required to create an account.”
Watermark
Jami is ad-free. The page says: “Ad Free. There will never be advertising on Jami.”
Where files go
Not stated.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-08. Sources: Home. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.”
Full page for Jami
4
Wire
Free optionSignup unclearFile handling unclear—
CompareOpen Wire
Details and sources
Free tier
Free plan: encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing on all platforms, for up to 5 people and up to 8 devices.
Paid plan
Wire for SMB (up to 100 people): 7.45 EUR per person per month paid annually, or 8.94 EUR per person per month paid monthly; adds video conferences up to 150 participants, SSO and SCIM, admin controls. Wire for Enterprise (over 100 people): custom price. NGOs can request a 40% discount.
Signup
The page does not explicitly say whether an account is required. 'Start for Free' links to a team signup page and it says personal use requires a personal account.
Watermark
Not applicable.
Where files go
Per the privacy page, message content is encrypted on the sender's device and decrypted only on the recipient's device. Encrypted messages are held temporarily on Wire's servers until delivery and deleted right after delivery. Log files are kept up to 90 days. Where shared files are stored is not stated.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy policy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Full page for Wire

Secure messaging: tools compared
Tool	Free option	Signup	Your files	Scores	Compare, open or show details
1Threema	Yes	Not needed	Unclear	Health 5Signals 4.2	CompareOpen
Free tier Private app is a one-time purchase; a free option is not stated. A Professional work plan shows a Try for free button; trial length not stated. Paid plan Private: 6.00 one-time (depends on app store and country). Core work plan 3.00 per user and Professional 5.00 per user, billed monthly per user with an annual payment option. OnPrem custom. Currency selector CHF/EUR/USD; currency symbols not shown. Signup No phone number or email address is required to use Threema; users get a Threema ID. Watermark Not applicable. Where files go Page says messages are removed from Threema's servers right after delivery and connection details are not logged. Group membership data stays on users' devices. From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them. Full page for Threema
2Tuta	Yes	Unclear	Unclear	Health 5Signals 4.2	CompareOpen
Free tier A free account is offered with 1 GB storage, 1 calendar and 3 labels. No extra email addresses or custom domains on the free plan. Paid plan Revolutionary: 20 GB, unlimited calendars and labels, 15 extra addresses, 3 custom domains. Legend: 500 GB, unlimited calendars and labels, 30 extra addresses, 10 custom domains. Base prices not shown on the page; only family options: Revolutionary users 3 EUR per user per month, Legend users 8 EUR per user per month, shared mailbox 3 EUR (Revolutionary) or 8 EUR (Legend) per month. Signup The page says you can create an email account for free or with a paid plan and links to 'Create free account'. It does not explicitly say whether an account is required. Watermark Not stated. Where files go The privacy page says Tuta protects all data with strong encryption. It does not say where data is stored or how long it is kept. From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them. Full page for Tuta
3Jami	Yes	Unclear	Unclear	Health 4.6Community 3.6Signals 3.9	CompareOpen
Free tier Jami is free software with no restrictions on file size, speed, bandwidth, features, number of accounts, or storage. The page says: “Free. As in free beer AND as in freedom. . . . Unlimited. Without restriction on file size, speed, bandwidth, features, number of accounts, storage or anything else.” Paid plan Not stated. Signup No personal information is required to create an account. The page says: “Multiple devices can be linked to a Jami account, and no personal information is required to create an account.” Watermark Jami is ad-free. The page says: “Ad Free. There will never be advertising on Jami.” Where files go Not stated. From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-08. Sources: Home. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them. Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.” Full page for Jami
4Wire	Yes	Unclear	Unclear	—Signals 3.6	CompareOpen
Free tier Free plan: encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing on all platforms, for up to 5 people and up to 8 devices. Paid plan Wire for SMB (up to 100 people): 7.45 EUR per person per month paid annually, or 8.94 EUR per person per month paid monthly; adds video conferences up to 150 participants, SSO and SCIM, admin controls. Wire for Enterprise (over 100 people): custom price. NGOs can request a 40% discount. Signup The page does not explicitly say whether an account is required. 'Start for Free' links to a team signup page and it says personal use requires a personal account. Watermark Not applicable. Where files go Per the privacy page, message content is encrypted on the sender's device and decrypted only on the recipient's device. Encrypted messages are held temporarily on Wire's servers until delivery and deleted right after delivery. Log files are kept up to 90 days. Where shared files are stored is not stated. From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy policy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them. Full page for Wire

Free option, signup and file handling come from each tool's own pages (“Unclear” means they do not say). Hover a score for what it means. Tick “Compare” on two to four tools to read them side by side.

Answers come from each tool's own pages (“Unclear” means they do not say). Tick “Compare” on two to four tools to read them side by side.

Also listed (9, not yet tested)

Each of these answered when we visited its site. We have not tested them or recorded facts, so they are in alphabetical order, not ranked.

Briar
Secure messaging, anywhere
Open
Element
Element is a Matrix-based end-to-end encrypted messenger and secure collaboration app.
Open
Matrix
Matrix, the open protocol for secure decentralised communications
Open
Olvid
Olvid is listed for: secure messaging.
Open
Session
Session is a private messenger that aims to remove any chance of metadata collection by routing all messages through an onion routing network.
Open
Signal
Say "hello" to a different messaging experience. An unexpected focus on privacy, combined with all of the features you expect.
Open
SimpleX Chat
SimpleX Chat - a private and encrypted messenger without any user IDs (not even random ones)! Make a private connection via link / QR code to send messages and make calls.
Open
Telegram
Fast. Secure. Powerful.
Open
WhatsApp
Use WhatsApp Messenger to stay in touch with friends and family. WhatsApp is free and offers simple, secure, reliable messaging and calling, available on phones all over the world.
Open