Overview Pros Open Source Powerful EncryptionSms integration On Android iOs The Signal is an app running on iOs and Android. You can also get the major players desktop versions including Linux. Signal has developed a reputation as the most stable of the lot out of all the messaging apps on offer these days. Those in the know value the end-to-end encryption architecture and power. So much so that Edward Snowden himself has a reference to it. The signal is a true replacement for Sms, not just a self-contained messaging app. Additionally it also won functionality for Voip. One of Signal’s best aspects is that its code is Open Source. It’s significant. Because it means anybody can inspect the program. There is no way backdoors can be concealed in its code, or other nasty surprises, without the group discovering it. Signal uses an independently tested, custom encryption method. It’s one of the best (and arguably overkill) message encryption solutions you can get nowadays. It’s essentially identical with the regular Sms applications that come with your phones in terms of actually using the device. There is nothing remarkable here but then the power of Signal is how invisible it should be used. You feel like you’ve entered a walled-off garden with other devices but with Signal it just blends with your screen. 2. WhatsApp
.1152 Summary Pros Cons Whatsapp is the developer of the app.For some, the fact that the business is now owned by Facebook could in theory be a dealbreaker. Given the increasingly poor record of user privacy and data handling at the company. The gui is also beginning to feel a bit outdated but you can’t argue with its large numbers of users! The fact that WhatsApp accounts are linked to specific mobile numbers could also be a downside. That opens it up to swap fraud against Sim. If for some reason you lose your number it can also be a pain to get back up and running again with a new number. The truth is that for some reason WhatsApp is on top and provides a great level of privacy for users. All for zero dollars, a princely sum. 3.
FacebookMessenger.1153 Summary Pros Sleek interfaceShares the same encryption as WhatsAppDon’t need a Facebook Cons Price Free account available on Android iOs Messenger began as a Facebook chat feature built into the site itself. You can now access the Facebook Messenger app as a stand-alone kit, without having to use Facebook on the same device. In reality without a Facebook account you can sign up for Messenger. As long as you have the phone number for that guy. Starts sounding a lot like WhatsApp right? At first Messenger got some fairly stinky reviews of his privacy and safety. From the beginning, the system didn’t implement end to end encryption. You can turn it on as of 2016 however. That means you can transform it from a fairly flimsy chat app to one that doesn’t allow Facebook to access your messages. Facebook Messenger is right up there in terms of features too. It has no parity of feature with the WhatsApp. Every service is its own thing, really. Messenger benefits from Facebook’s (meaning to me) simpler design language. Facebook was bold too with some fun features. They have introduced a very cool Ai chatbot application into Facebook Messenger which means it will be used by many companies for things like customer service. Messenger often gets quite reminiscent of Snapchat with Ar effects for images. 4.
Viber
.1154 Android summary iOs Viber began as an Israeli developer’s app. It is owned today by the Japanese company Rakuten. It is based in Luxembourg, in itself. The app is a strong competitor to WhatsApp and it’s going past the Goliath in some regions like Russia. With more than 900 million users around the world, Viber is sure to pass a lot of personal information around. However in 2016 they only added end-to-end encryption like most of the competition. Such encryption is useful only if the latest version of the app is used by everyone else in the Chat. However, by now, running a client version from before the new protection was introduced is basically impossible for somebody. Viber doesn’t have some of the more out – of-the-box apps like Facebook Messenger sports, but it’s a good voip and text chat solution that costs nothing. If you live in a part of the world where Viber is famous, getting a copy on your phone is absolutely worth it. 5. Telegram
.1155 Overview Pros Cons May cause suspicion on account of its reputation Price Free Available on iOs One of the newest services on the list is Telegram, which is only five years old. However, it is gaining popularity rapidly and in a relatively short time it already has more than 200 million users. It has become a favorite of users who want to be as anonymous as possible, a controversy which has, of course, courted. While attempts to break Telegram’s custom encryption protocol in the real world have so far failed, the service has received rather heavy criticism from security experts. Much of the criticism has to do with the fact that the encryption algorithm used by Telegram is cut off from inspection. That means security researchers are not really able to look for vulnerabilities or flaws as they do with open standards of encryption. Telegram may have a form of rock-solid encryption, or may have significant weaknesses. We can not really know until somebody finds one. In addition to getting attention from the intelligence eggheads Telegram, terrorist groups have also reportedly been using it. Criminal intent to exchange messages, as well as others. You’re going to attract all sorts of niche users when you identify yourself as the most secure messaging service there is. If you want to use Telegram in Russia, you’re out of luck. Viber is fortunately the king in Russia, so there are some choices out there. While there is obviously some confusion about Telegram’s actual security credentials, there is no doubt that many influential people have attempted to get at the encrypted information Telegram is dealing in. They’ve all come up with bupkis, so far. 6.
.1156 Skype
Enabled on Android iOs If you’ve never heard of Skype, you might never have used a phone either. Welcome to Traveler of the 21st Century! In all seriousness, Skype is the voice and video messaging software operated by Microsoft. Skype’s on just about every site you could think about. It is commonly used throughout the world too. The app recently went through a major redesign of the gui. Now it looks slick and new but it’s also easy to use. People make good use of Skype. The new interface is fine, and after the facelift it looks terrific. It’s an interesting addition to your phone or tablet though I doubt it will become the main messaging app for anyone. 7.
Line
.1157 Pros Well designed fun and hip image Cons End-to-end encryption not on by default some may not like all the extra content Price Available on Android iOs Line is a nice little Japanese app that came into being thanks to the tragic earthquakes of Tohoku. It was a quick solution to the absolute pounding that was expected at the time of communication systems. It gave victims and their families alike a lifeLine (get it). The app has stuck around after the dust had settled and has a staggering 700 million users today. That’s five and a half times as much as Japan’s own nation! Line has much to do with it. It sports that cool Japanese bizarreness and lots of extra stuff to do. Just like stickers and games. They have packed other utilities in there, such as payments and taxi rides. That means that this application may feel very bloated. If you like this kind of thing it could be for you. Just remember to switch the encryption from end to end on. 8. KakaoTalk
.1158 Pros iOs Summary This app comes from Korea. If you have to inquire, then South Korea. As with line end-to-end encryption, the switch is not on. Which always represents a pain. It has a large chunk of over 200 million subscribers, of whom Korean. Over 90 per cent of Korean smartphone users reportedly have this app on their phone. So they have got to do something good. It is a slick-looking device with a good set of features. Like Rows, no extra fat either. Worth to keep an eye on. 9.
Threema
Summary Pros Extremely secure Makes discreet use of Minimal Traces Cons Not free overkill for most users $2.99 Available on Android iOs If full peace of mind is what you want and you’re willing to pay for it then Threema might be the application you’re looking for. To keep your communications secure, it uses advanced security features and high-level encryption. It encrypts not just messages but everything. Including the status changes. Open source encryption is used with generating local key. Quick nothing is left anywhere on any file. It may be used anonymously the best of all.
Message in a (Encrypted) bottle
Only a few years ago the public had little interest in the privacy of their messaging applications. Since then, however, awareness-raising and some seriously worrying data breaches have put the importance of privacy into the public mind far higher. It’s no coincidence that all of the top messaging apps started to implement end-to-end encryption at around the same time. This is a feature that really scares customers now. Using these features, it is obvious that in terms of functionality, there is not much to distinguish them. Not only do almost all of them deliver encrypted Voip. The video is less popular but mostly still there. There’s not really such a thing as a “evil” encrypted messaging app these days, but you might find that a given app just doesn’t suit your needs. Luckily most of them cost nothing whatsoever, which means that no one can stop you from trying them all and making an informed decision.