There are probably a hundred or more different instant messengers out there. But which one respects your privacy, is resistant to censorship attempts by governments and Big Tech, and is easy to use for normies?
I have limited this comparison to only ten messengers:
Some messengers that are relevant but did not make it on the list:
Source: eylenburg.github.io
Last updated: April 2023
Federated & FOSS | Centralized & FOSS | Proprietary Market Leaders | ||||||||
Conversations (XMPP) |
Delta Chat | Element (Matrix) |
Signal | Telegram | Threema | Facebook Messenger | Line | Viber | ||
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General information | ||||||||||
Year introduced | 2014 (XMPP: 1999) | 2017 | 2016 (Matrix: 2014) | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
Developer | mainly Daniel Gultsch | various developers | The Matrix.org Foundation CIC | Signal Technology Foundation | Telegram FZ LLC | Threema GmbH | Facebook, Inc. | LINE Corporation | Rakuten Group, Inc. | Facebook, Inc. |
Domicile of developer | Germany | n/a | UK | USA | UAE | Switzerland | USA | Japan | Japan | USA |
Monthly active users | n/a cannot be determined due to server federation | n/a cannot be determined due to server federation | n/a cannot be determined due to server federation | 40 million | 550 million | 10 million | 1.3 billion | 250 million | 825 million | 2.0 billion |
Play Store number of installs | 100,000+refers only to the Conversations app, which is only one of many XMPP messengers | 100,000+ | 500,000+refers only to the Element app, which is only one of many XMPP messengers | 50,000,000+ | 500,000,000+ | 1,000,000+ | 5,000,000,000+ | 500,000,000+ | 1,000,000,000+ | 5,000,000,000+ |
Protocol used | XMPP + OMEMO | IMAP/SMTP + OpenPGP | Matrix + Olm/Megolm | Signal | MTProto | NaCl + Ibex | MQTT + Signal | MQTT + Letter Sealing | Viber | XMPP + Signal |
Price | freeFree download on F-Droid. Play Store costs €2.99. Alternatively, Quicksy (same developer, almost identical app) is free on the Play Store as well. | free | free | free | free | €3.99 | free | free | free | free |
Sustainability | ||||||||||
License of client/server | GPL | GPL | Apache | GPL | GPL/Proprietary | AGPL/Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary |
Server architecture | Federated | Federated | Federated | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized |
Ability to self-host server | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Compatibility with other messengers | Yes, if supported by server "Transports" to various other protocols and messengers, e.g. IRC, SMS, Email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Skype, Discord | Normal Email if recipient does not use Delta Chat | Yes, if supported by server "bridges" to various other protocols and messengers, e.g. IRC, SMS, Email, XMPP, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple iMessage, Telegram, Signal, Skype, Discord, WeChat | No (SMS in earlier Android versions) | No | No | Instagram; Android app can send/receive SMS | No | No | No |
Compatibility | ||||||||||
Smartphones: | ||||||||||
Android | Yes (APK available) | Yes (APK available) | Yes (APK available) | Yes (APK available) | Yes (APK available) | Yes (APK available) | Yes (no APK available) | Yes (APK available) | Yes (no APK available) | Yes (APK available) |
iOS | Other XMPP client(s) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
KaiOS | No | No | Other Matrix client(s) | No | Other Telegram client(s) | No | Older versions of KaiOS | No | No | Older versions of KaiOS |
Mobile GNU/LinuxMobile distributions such as Sailfish OS, Ubuntu Touch, postmarketOS etc. | Other XMPP client(s) | Other Delta Chat client(s) | Other Matrix client(s) | Other Signal client(s) | Other Telegram client(s) | Can run Android versionusing Anbox (most distributions) or Sailfish X Android App support | Can run Android versionusing Anbox (most distributions) or Sailfish X Android App support | Can run Android versionusing Anbox (most distributions) or Sailfish X Android App support | Can run Android versionusing Anbox (most distributions) or Sailfish X Android App support | Can run Android versionusing Anbox (most distributions) or Sailfish X Android App support |
Desktops: | ||||||||||
Windows | Other XMPP client(s) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
macOS | Other XMPP client(s) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
GNU/Linux Desktop distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora etc. | Other XMPP client(s) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Can run Android versionusing Anbox | Can run Android versionusing Anbox | Yes | Can run Android versionusing Anbox |
Unix e.g. FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonFlyBSD, Illumos, and Solaris | Other XMPP client(s) | No | Other Matrix client(s) | No | FreeBSD FreeBSD has a port of the standard Telegram app / other client(s)For other Unix operating systems | No | No | No | No | No |
Web client | Other XMPP client(s) | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Chrome extension | Yes | Yes |
Capability | ||||||||||
Offline messages (if recipient is offline) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Group chats | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Voice messages | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Voice and video calls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Send photos, video and other files | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Screensharing | No | No | Yes (not on mobile) | No | Yes | No | Yes (not on mobile) | Yes (not on mobile) | Yes (not on mobile) | No |
Public/searchable groups | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Ephemeral (self-destructing) messages | Only on local deviceAutomatic message deletion on local device, but no remote deletion on other people's devices | No | No | YesPlease note that this doesn't truly protect messages from being saved or read by other parties. See: https://www.freie-messenger.de/en/begriffe/pseudosicherheit/ | YesPlease note that this doesn't truly protect messages from being saved or read by other parties. See: https://www.freie-messenger.de/en/begriffe/pseudosicherheit/ | No | YesPlease note that this doesn't truly protect messages from being saved or read by other parties. See: https://www.freie-messenger.de/en/begriffe/pseudosicherheit/ | YesPlease note that this doesn't truly protect messages from being saved or read by other parties. See: https://www.freie-messenger.de/en/begriffe/pseudosicherheit/ | YesPlease note that this doesn't truly protect messages from being saved or read by other parties. See: https://www.freie-messenger.de/en/begriffe/pseudosicherheit/ | YesPlease note that this doesn't truly protect messages from being saved or read by other parties. See: https://www.freie-messenger.de/en/begriffe/pseudosicherheit/ |
Delete messages on device of recipients | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Use with multiple accounts | Yes | Yes | Other Matrix client(s) | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Usability | ||||||||||
Find contacts from phone address book | supported by other XMPP clients e.g. Quicksy, from the same developer as Conversations and mostly identical | No | Phone number & Email | Phone number | Phone number | Phone number & Email | Phone number & EmailCan upload address book to Facebook to check if contacts have a Facebook account | Phone number | Phone number | Phone number |
Automatic backups of chat history | Chat history is saved on the XMPP server, but useless without decryption keys, which some other XMPP clients can back up automatically (Conversations: only manual backups to local device). | Local backups of chat history are possible but not automatic. Chat history is saved on the Email server, but useless without decryption keys, which need to be manually backed up to local device. | Chat history is saved on the Matrix server, but useless without decryption keys, which can be automatically backed up to local device or Matrix homeserver | Backup on local device only (no cloud backup which would protect against loss of device) | All data is saved on Telegram servers, except for "secret chats" | No | All data is saved on Facebook servers, except for "secret chats" | Backup to cloud only (Google Drive/iCloud), and text messages only | Backup to cloud only (Google Drive/iCloud) | Yes (local device or Google Drive/iCloud) |
Data can be transferred to new device | Yes (at least to new installation of Conversations) | Yes | Yes | Yes, but only Android ↔ Android or iOS ↔ iOS, not supported on Desktop | Yes, except for secret chats | Yes, but only Android ↔ Android or iOS ↔ iOS, not supported on Desktop | Yes | Text messages only, and only Android ↔ Android or iOS ↔ iOS, not supported on Desktop | Yes, but only Android ↔ Android or iOS ↔ iOS, not supported on Desktop | Yes, also between Android and iOS using "Move to iOS" and "Switch to Android" apps |
Use on multiple devices | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, but only one Android/iOS device (but: can have linked iPad) | Yes, except for "secret chats" | Yes, but only one Android/iOS device | Yes, but "secret chats" are unavailable on desktop/web | Yes, but only one Android/iOS device | Yes, but only one Android/iOS device | Yes (needs a "primary device" running Android or iOS) |
Import chat history from other apps | No (from other XMPP clients only) | No | No (from other Matrix clients only) | No (SMS import possible in earlier versions) | Yes (KakaoTalk, Line, WhatsApp) | No | Yes (SMS import on Android) | No | No | No |
Privacy | ||||||||||
User ID | XMPP address (user@server.tld) | Email address (user@server.tld) | Matrix ID (@user:server.tld) | Phone number | Phone number or "Fragment" number | Threema ID (8-digit ID) | Email address of Facebook account | Phone number | Phone number | Phone number |
Anonymous sign-up possible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Phone number requiredCould use a "burner SIM" for anonymous sign-up, but in many countries it is not legal to sell/buy SIM cards anonymously | Possible with "Fragment" number (paid)Has to be paid with "TON" cryptocoin. Alternatively, can sign up with phone number. | Yes if purchased anonymously Android license can be purchased from Threema directly using Bitcoin, while the iOS app can only be bought in the App Store (hence the latter is only anonymous if the Apple ID itself is anonymous, i.e. anonymous email address used to sign up and no phone number given) | Facebook requires real identity to sign upThis may even include a video recording of the user's face to verify identify | Phone number requiredCould use a "burner SIM" for anonymous sign-up, but in many countries it is not legal to sell/buy SIM cards anonymously | Phone number requiredCould use a "burner SIM" for anonymous sign-up, but in many countries it is not legal to sell/buy SIM cards anonymously | Phone number requiredCould use a "burner SIM" for anonymous sign-up, but in many countries it is not legal to sell/buy SIM cards anonymously |
E2Eend-to-end encryption of 1:1 text messages | Yesif supported by recipient's client app | Yesif recipient is also using Delta Chat, other will be sent as unencrypted email | Yesif supported by recipient's client app | Yes | Only in "secret chats" | Yes | Only in "secret chats"Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source |
E2Eend-to-end encryption of group chats | Yesif supported by recipient's client app | Yesif recipient is also using Delta Chat, other will be sent as unencrypted email | Yesif supported by recipient's client app | Yes | No | Yes | Only in "secret chats"Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source |
E2Eend-to-end encryption of voice and video calls | Yesif supported by recipient's client app | Yes | Yesif supported by recipient's client app | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source | Yes (claimed)Impossible to verify as app is closed source |
E2Eend-to-end encryption of chat backups | Yes | Local backups: no, on email server: yes |
Yes | Yes | No ("secret chats" not backed up) | Yes | No ("secret chats" not backed up) | ? | No | Optional, therefore pointlessE2EE for backups is an optional feature. Unless ALL parties in a chat have it enabled, the backup can be accessed by Google, Apple, governments etc. Furthermore, device-level backups on iPhone will store the unencrypted chats in iCloud. See here. |
Minimal metadata | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Security | ||||||||||
Encryption: Authentification of contacts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Encryption: Forward secrecy | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Encryption: Plausible deniability | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ? | No | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes |
Lock app with password/biometrics | No | No | No | Mobile apps only | Yes | Yes | No | No | Desktop app only | Yes |