What is WhatsApp

WhatsApp with its claim of being an ‘iPhone and Android messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS’ has become the leading instant messenger app worldwide with billions of private and business users. WhatsApp is a sleak, small app which needs little GB on your Android or iPhone with only 133 MB download size. Yet, what the messaging app has in usability and features, it lacks security, privacy, and WhatsApp is not open source. While there are more than 100 alternatives to WhatsApp for a variety of platforms, including Android, iPhone, Mac, Windows and Linux apps, only a few can actually pose as a real rival to WhatsApp.

Today, the free WhatsApp messenger is almost omnipresent in many regions of the world. People depend on this messaging app for business and personal communication; its brand recognition, its billions of users and its popularity together make it the go-to option for chat. Quitting WhatsApp is not as easy as quitting Gmail as you need to get others to jump ship as well. But thanks to similar apps to WhatsApp becoming more feature-rich and thus more popular, it has become much easier to replace WhatsApp with secure and open source chat app today - compared to five years ago.

Some of your friends might already use free WhatsApp alternatives - without your knowledge. So it’s about time you check out all available options as well!

Why you should look for a replacement

WhatsApp free might be popular, but it’s not the best app when it comes to privacy and security. You need to into the question of how does WhatsApp make money to understand why WhatsApp must use and abuse your data to be free.

Who owns WhatsApp and why this is important for privacy

Since its acquisition by Facebook in 2014, concerns have grown over how much data WhatsApp shares with its parent company - and Facebook is not particularly known for protecting your privacy.

In 2016, WhatsApp updated its privacy policy to allow sharing user data, including phone numbers and usage patterns, with Facebook for ad targeting purposes. When using WhatsApp and Facebook simultaneously, Facebook knows even more about you than the tech company would otherwise. Moreover, in 2021, WhatsApp’s controversial update to its privacy terms forced users to accept more extensive data sharing with Facebook, leading to widespread distrust. This update led to a surge in users seeking alternatives like Signal, Threema (that does not ask for phone numbers), Discord and Telegram, which offered better privacy protections.

Ultimately, if privacy and data security are priorities for you, it’s definitely worth exploring alternatives that provide stronger encryption and more transparent policies regarding how your data is handled. Let’s dive into this comparison of top alternatives to WhatsApp!

Is there a safer alternative to WhatsApp?

Before deciding on an alternative chat app to WhatsApp to chat safer, maybe even without needing to provide a phone number, it’s most important to look at what the international competition does better than the Silicon Valley tech giant, namely their attention to privacy and security. Finding a new chat app that is similar to WhatApp but also more secure is everybody’s goal. By choosing a better replacement for WhatsApp, you no longer have to worry whether WhatsApp is safe or not because the truth it: the safest chat app is definitely not WhatsApp. But which app is safer than WhatsApp? Let’s find out!

WhatsApp alternatives: Which is best?

1. Best WhatsApp for privacy and security: Signal
2. Best WhatsApp without a phone number: Threema
3. Best Open Source WhatsApp alternative: Element
4. Best Alternative to WhatsApp for business: Wire
5. Best Group Chat Alternative: Telegram
6. Best Decentralized Chat App: SimpleX
7. Decentralized and Anonymous Chat: Session
8. Best alternative for iPhone: iMessage
9. Best alternative for Android: Google Messages
10. Unofficial: WhatsApp Plus

Table: A comparison of security and features from our list of secure messaging apps that can easily replace WhatsApp: Signal, Threema, Telegram, Element, Wire, SimpleX, Session.

1. Best WhatsApp for privacy: Signal

Screenshot of Signal website

Signal is considered more secure than Whatsapp and more privacy-friendly. Thus, it has become the go-to app in the privacy community. The messaging service has endorsements from Elon Musk and even Edward Snowden; in fact Snowden has repeatedly underlined the high level of security you get with Signal on Twitter due to its quantum-resistant encryption. Signal can thus be considered as the biggest rival to WhatsApp.

The WhatsApp rival Signal is the most obvious choice for better privacy and security: It is also the most popular privacy-friendly WhatsApp alternative with 40 million active monthly users. It is free, has strong quantum resistant encryption, it does not collect user data and works flawlessly on all platforms, Android, iOS and desktops. Signal (formerly known as TextSecure) is the go-to app if people look for a free Whatsapp alternative that is best for privacy.

On top of the encryption, which renders the secure messages unreadable to eavesdropping, Signal ensures that very little meta data is generated while messaging and very little user data is collected. This is important in case the authorities issue a subpoena to the Signal Foundation. The fewer data a service provider collects, the fewer data it can turn over upon receiving a court order.

Like WhatsApp, the installation and operation of Signal are very simple, requiring only a few clicks or screen taps. Photos, videos and audios can be sent in individual as well as group chats. It also offers voice and video calling, so you won’t regret leaving WhatsApp. Their video calling functionality combines their strong encryption standards, which are now improved to also protect against attacks from quantum computers. Nearly identical features, but better security makes Signal the perfect alternative to WhatsApp video calls. Messages can be set to disappear after a given time interval for automatic deletion. This guarantees privacy, even if someone else gains physical access to your Android phone or your iPhone. You can even lock your app to prevent third-parties from accessing your account should you lose your device.

Signal’s program code is open source, which means that anyone can review how the chat app works and check for vulnerabilities. Who exchanges messages with whom and when (=meta data) is not stored by Signal. Many security experts recommend Signal, such as Bruce Schneier and Edward Snowden.

Signal is also used by a large number of people so there will be less of a need to badger your friends and loved ones to make the switch to this secure WhatsApp alternative.

However, to use Signal one must provide a valid mobile phone number to the messaging service, which prevents anyone from using Signal with complete anonymity. There are possibilities to register an account with a VoIP number, but these services may be blocked from signing up. At least, Signal has recently enabled the creation of user names so that you do not have to share your mobile phone number if you want to communicate with someone else.

Due to its excellent privacy reputation and its state-of-the-art encryption, Signal is safer than WhatsApp free. Plus, given its large number of users, Signal can now be considered the biggest competitor to WhatsApp.

Pros

• Free
• Strong End-to-end Encryption
• Open Source
• Very Little Meta Data
• Disappearing Messages
• Available on all clients, both mobile and desktop
• Intuitive Interface
• Creation of user names possible

Cons

• Others can see that your are using Signal (if phone number is known)
• Hosted on AWS

Our rating: Signal is the best choice as popular messaging app with a large user-base, and more secure than WhatsApp.

Download and install Signal (158 MB): Android, iOS

2. Best WhatsApp without phone number: Threema

Screenshot of Threema website

Another well-known private alternative to WhatsApp is Threema. You can register a Threema account anonymously without a phone number. Anonymous payment is also possible via Bitcoin or Cash. Threema with only 77 MB download size is a very small app, which will save space on your smartphone. All communication via the secure messaging app is end-to-end encrypted and meta data is kept to a minimum. For example, the meta data about who and when you are messaging is not logged. You can send images, text messages, and GPS locations in the chat easily as the app has a similar intuitive functionality as WhatsApp, but is more safe and secure overall. Threema also offers encrypted phone calls. Threema syncs your contact list so that you can easily find other users.

The client software is open source and can be viewed by anyone with an internet connection.

Convenience, data protection, and data security are right, but the encrypted chat app Threema come at a (low) price: The Threema app costs a one-time fee of 4.99 Euros for private users. If you ask yourself which WhatsApp replacement is best for privacy, then Threema - along with Signal - is your best bet. Threema is also one of the few apps like WhatsApp without a phone number; not even Signal allows you to create a completely anonymous account. That’s why this secure chat app is characterized by excellent privacy protection and anonymity. By not asking for a phone number, Threema has also positioned itself as a viablereplacement for WhatsApp Business as due to data protection legislation it is a requirement in some regions (for instance in Germany) to use communication tools that do not leak phone numbers. The business app is called Threema for Work.

Pros

• End-to-end Encryption
• Open Source
• Almost No Meta Data
• No phone number required
• Available on all clients
• Intuitive Interface
• Hosted on own Threema-owned infrastructure

Cons

• Low Fee
• Small User Base

Our rating: Threema is the best WhatsApp replacement without a phone number.

Download Threema (77 MB): Android, iOS

3. Best Open Source WhatsApp alternative: Element (formerly Riot)

Screenshot of Matrix website

Element is a universal secure chat application designed to enhance communication and collaboration, and it makes a great alternative to WhatsApp.

While the messenger app Element is quite unknown, it is used by tech-savvy government employees who highly value it for itssecurity and privacy. Element has also found footing within the private sector with many businesses adopting it as afree and open source solution that lets them easily and securely communicate between Android devices and iPhones. The app is available for Android, iOS, Windows, Linux and macOS. Like Tuta Mail, the Android version does not require any Google services and can be downloaded via F-Droid. Element can be used directly with aweb browser without installation as well. The user interface of Element messenger might take some getting used to for WhatsApp users as it differs in some ways.

Element offers end-to-end encryption for voice-over-IP phone calls, video chats and the classic messaging services for sending texts and pictures.Group voice and video calls, however, are currently not encrypted end-to-end. If downloaded via Google’s Play Store, the Element app features an application library that ensures the app is constantly connected to Google. Therefore, privacy-sensitive users are recommended to install the app from F-Droid, which does not include this library.

As an open-source application, built on the federated Matrix, you can also fully take control over your own data by hosting it on your own server. As all Matrix servers are interoperable, you can also send messages to users of other Matrix-based apps: Element is the most popular one among these. So called Matrix ‘bridges’ even enable you to send messages to other messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal and SMS.

Pros

• Free
• No Phone Number Required
• End-to-end Encrypted (except group calls)
• Available on all clients
• Interoperable with other apps
• Self-hosting Possible

Cons

• Setup can be technical, especially if self-hosting

Our rating: Element is the best choice for open source enthusiasts as there is a fully de-googled Android version available.

Download Element (134 MB): Android, iOS

4. Best Alternative to WhatsApp for business: Wire

Screenshot of Wire website

Wire, another encrypted chat app, is based in Switzerland. However, Switzerland even though promoted as such is not the best place for privacy. The Wire messenger stands out as a more private and more secure option compared to WhatsApp. Wire lets you communicate via voice, text and video chat. Similar to WhatsApp it supportsGIFs, file sharing, emojis and other options.

Wire can be synced across devices - unlike WhatsApp - and you can connect multiple accounts to the app. Wire is fully open source and has published its code on GitHub for community security review. Just like WhatsApp, Wire relies on the Signal encryption protocol to encrypt chat messages and calls end to end. Only end-to-end encryption (like in Tuta) makes sure that your data can’t be read by unsolicited third parties.

The messaging app Wire is free of charge for personal use on mobile and desktops. It is run as a freemium model as there are also paid options for business customers. The paid version is a solid alternative to WhatsApp Business.

Pros

• Free
• End-to-end Encrypted
• Available on all clients
• Open source
• Self-destructing messages

Cons

• Phone number or email address required
• Does not support 2FA
• Small number of users (around half a million)
• Can be a bit buggy at times

Download Wire (83MB): Android, iOS

5. Telegram

Screenshot of Telegram website

The free chat app Telegram has gained a lot of respect and popularity for fighting for anti-censorship in autocratic countries, namely in the founder’s home country Russia. However, in September 2024, Telegram made the news with the headline that it will now hand over your phone number and IP address, which made the rounds in the privacy community.

With 500 million active users, it is one of the most popular WhatsApp alternatives. Similar to WhatsApp, it makes use of a double-tick system to display when someone received and read a message. Like Signal, Telegram offers the ability to automatically delete a message after a certain time.

However, Telegram is a cloud-based service without end-to-end encryption; only client-to-client ‘secret’ chats are stored encrypted on user devices locally. With the cloud-based service, chats are re-encrypted on the server. During this process, however, operators do have access to the user data.

Additionally, Telegram is not as sparse with meta data collection as Threema or Signal as it may collect the following meta data from users: “We may collect metadata such as your IP address, devices and Telegram apps you’ve used, history of username changes, etc.” Depending on your threat model and privacy concerns this could be a deal-breaker.

Telegram messenger is as easy to use as other messaging apps such as WhatsApp. Additionally, you can send text and media messages in a chat with up to 200,000 users, or create ‘channels’ to which an unlimited number of users can subscribe to. WhatsApp has recently copied this channel features and now offers this as well.

Telegram’s apps (client software) are free, available on all clients and open source, so anyone can view them, while the central server software is proprietary. Former WhatsApp users have also often opted for Telegram because they can quickly import their WhatsApp chats into Telegram.

All-in-all, Telegram is a solid WhatsApp alternative. But if you are asking why Telegram is better than WhatsApp?, I must disappoint you: It is not. Due to Telegram’s semi-well implemented encryption and due to the privacy policy change in 2024, this free messenger can no longer be seen as safer than WhatsApp. If your main concern is better privacy protections, it is not worth it to delete WhatsApp for Telegram. So when looking for a secure replacement, remember that Telegram is not better than WhatsApp.

Pros

• Free
• Channel Feature
• Available on all clients
• Intuitive Interface

Cons

• Not End-to-End Encrypted (except secret chat)
• Requires Phone Number
• Collects lots of meta data
• No option to encrypt group chats
• Logs IP addresses

Download and install Telegram (170 MB): Android, iOS

6. Best Decentralized Chat App: SimpleX

Screenshot of SimpleX website

SimpleX is the most recent addition to the world of end-to-end encrypted messaging applications. This gave them an advantage by allowing them to learn from the mistakes of older encrypted messaging apps. For starters, the free SimpleX messenger does not require a phone number or even a randomized ID key for sharing with conversation partners. By simply scanning a QR code, you can add friends and family to shared groups or individual chat sessions for more secure chats.

Following the lead of services like Mastodon, Session, or Matrix, SimpleX also leaves behind the centralized server model, opting instead for a decentralized network. This approach allows for greater stability and network resilience. There’s no need to worry that a networking error brings down the entire platform!

With its true incognito mode - that differs a lot from Google’s incognito mode that was used for “privacy washing” - the chat app creates individual fingerprints for each unique chat so that creating larger connection maps between your conversation partners is impossible. You might be asking, how can these messages be delivered without unique identifiers? The team claims to avoid this potential pitfall because “instead of user IDs used by all other platforms, SimpleX uses temporary anonymous pairwise identifiers of message queues, separate for each of your connections — there are no long term identifiers.”

With SimpleX you can truly own your data. Your chat information is stored on your device and you also have the option to host your own servers which can communicate with any other SimpleX users.

As with Element and other free, decentralized platforms, this service is less popular than some of the giants like the free Signal messenger, but the additional features make it a must-try for those whose personal well-being and safety demand a greater amount of privacy, and Element is definitely much better and more secure than WhatsApp.

Pros

• No Phone Number Required
• End-to-End Encrypted by Default
• Decentralized Network
• No Reliance on DNS
• Self-hosting Possible

Cons

• Relatively small user base
• Setup can be technical, especially if self-hosting

Download and install SimpleX (225 MB) on all your devices: Desktop, Android, iOS

7. Decentralized and Anonymous Chat: Session

Screenshot of Session website

Session was one of the first apps which took the encrypted messaging model and pushed it beyond the centralized server structure. Session is based in Australia, which is one of the Five Eyes. Probably due to this threat to user data, the messaging app focuses on end-to-end encryption and decentralization: to reduce the risk of user data requests by the authorities. Their goal is to use a Tor-like network known as the Session Network in order to distribute and relay messages.

This distributed structure makes Session resistant against attacks on single servers. The free Session messenger offers many features you have come to love in WhatsApp like group chats, calling and voice messaging, and even the option to send files securely. Session also offers an alternative to the WhatsApp desktop environment. This means that you can use Session both on your mobile devices as well as your primary workstation which will save you from needing to bounce between devices to communicate securely. Like with Threema and SimpleX, you can register your Session account without a phone number, which lets you use this chat app like WhatsApp, but anonymously.

Pros

• Decentralized server structure
• Group Chats
• Encrypted Phone and Video calls
• No phone number required

Cons

• Relationship to cryptocurrency may be off-putting for some
• Australian location raises some security concerns, but these are not deal breaking

Download Session (150 MB): Desktop and Mobile

8. Best alternative for iPhone: iMessage

If you’re using an iPhone (or a Mac desktop PC) and you’re looking for apps similar to Whatsapp for iPhone, the simplest choice is sometimes the best: iMessage is another more secure alternative to WhatsApp because since February 2024 it uses quantum-safe encryption. This new encryption protocol is so strong it even protects your messages from attacks by quantum computers. The only limitation: iMessage only works within the Apple system, so with others who also use iPhones, iPads or Macs.

iMessage works like SMS messages when sending to Android devices, only internally - among iOS users - all messages travel securely via iMessage and are end-to-end encrypted. The security benefits of iMessage are thus limited to iPhone-to-iPhone texts.

In short: Your Apple-based messages are secure, but everything else is not. You should also consider that Apple monitors all you push notifications, which limits its security.

In terms of features, iMessage is as comprehensively featured and very similar to WhatsApp and other chat apps. The Apple chat service supports sending images GIFs, and videos. You can do group calls and in some countries you can even send each other money via Apple Pay. However, for cross-platform communication, iMessage doesn’t add up to WhatsApp due to its limitation to iOS devices. This means that you are cut off from messaging anyone on an Android device for free. If you use iMessage to send a message to one of your friends with an Android smartphone, iMessage will default back to normal text messages - without any end-to-end encryption or other data protection measures.

For video and voice calling you can not use iMessage, but need to switch to FaceTime - another Apple-only communication platform. It’s not clear why FaceTime and iMessage are two separate apps, but at least it’s already installed on most iPhones and Macs.

Pros

• Quantum-safe encryption
• Easy to use
• Fully featured

Cons

• Only works among iPhone and Mac users
• Doesn’t support video or voice calls

Download iMessage: Chat app for iPhone

Download FaceTime

9. Best alternative for Android: Google Messages

Screenshot of Google website

Google’s answer to Apple’s iMessage is Google Messages. This chat app is pre-installed on most Android phones, but you can also download Google Messages from Google Play. The aim of this chat app is to replace existing SMS apps; internally (between Android phones) chat messages are end-to-end encrypted, and it’s integrated with all Google services. In its essence Google Messages is iMessage for Android.

If you want to use Google Messages on Windows or Apple computers, you can not install a stand-alone app, but must link an Android device to a browser tab - which is similar to WhatsApp’s Linked Devices feature. Google’s chat app supports all common features like sending images and files as you are used to from WhatsApp.

An obvious negative is that the encryption only works among Android devices, all messages to iPhones will be traditional, insecure SMS texts. Thus, for cross-platform communication, Google Messages can’t really compete with WhatsApp due to its limitation to Android - it’s like iMessage, just the other way around.

Like with Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime (for voice and video call), you also need a separate app for voice and video calls on Android: Meet (formerly Duo). It’s likely that Google Meet is already installed on your Android device, or you can get it from Google Play for free. Even iPhone users can get Google Meet from the Apple App Store.

Pros

• End-to-end encrypted
• Easy to use
• Fully featured

Cons

• Only works among Android users
• Doesn’t support video or voice calls

Download Google Messages for Android

Download Google Meet: Android, iOS

10. WhatsApp Plus - is it safe?

WhatsApp Plus is an unofficial, modified version of the original WhatsApp for free that provides more customization options and features. Unlike the official app, WhatsApp Plus allows users to personalize their experience with different themes, fonts, and colors. It also offers additional privacy controls, like hiding “last seen” status or disabling the “blue ticks” that indicate a message has been read. These features give users more control over their experience compared to the limitations of the regular WhatsApp messenger; however, this does not make the app a truly private alternative. These features just hide information from the people you are communicating with, but not from the developers of the app, for instance.

However, WhatsApp Plus comes with significant risks. One of the biggest concerns is the lack of end-to-end encryption, a security measure the official WhatsApp uses to ensure only you and the person you’re messaging can read your conversations. Without this protection, your messages on WhatsApp Plus could be intercepted by hackers, third parties, or even the app’s developers. This creates major security vulnerabilities, especially if sensitive information is being shared.

Additionally, since WhatsApp Plus is not officially supported, users face the risk of their accounts being banned. WhatsApp, which is also free and customizable, actively discourages the use of unauthorized apps and may suspend or permanently ban accounts if they detect someone using WhatsApp Plus. Furthermore, because it’s developed by third parties with no transparent policies, you cannot be certain how your data on WhatsApp Plus is being used or if it’s being shared or sold. This makes WhatsApp Plus a potentially dangerous replacement of the official app provided by Meta, particularly for users concerned about privacy and security.

Pros

• Very small app
• Lots of customization features

Cons

• Unauthorized app
• No end-to-end encryption
• No information how the data is used by the developers
• Risk of account suspension by Meta (official WhatsApp)

Should you download and install WhatsApp Plus (24 GB)? No, we will not provide a download link for WhatsApp Plus here. Though the app might be nice and small, which is important if you have an old phone with little storage, we can not encourage you to download this unofficial app by providing a direct download link here. The risks to use this app much outweigh the benefits.

Other options

Now that we’ve discussed the best alternatives to WhatsApp, where to download these messengers and how to use them, there are still more options on the market. Important to us in this review was to recommend only encrypted messaging apps which can compare to WhatsApp in regards to usability and features.

Whether you decide to go with something like Signal and its top-notch reputation or something like Session as a new decentralized chat app, you’ll notice that chatting on your phone will feel much better once you know that your privacy is protected. You can even ditch WhatsApp, but still use Facebook Messenger with your friends who are not ready to quit Facebook and the Meta ecosystem. Though we would highly advise you not to as you might be able to increase your privacy on Facebook, but you’ll never stop Meta from tracking you. The possibilities for communication are endless, you only need to find the prefect messaging app for you and your friends.

WhatsApp scnadals and security issues

The reputation of WhatsApp has gone down dramatically since it was bought by Facebook (now Meta), and with every new Facebook-related scandal - and of these there are many - WhatsApp suffers. This is made worse by the fact that in America and Europe, Facebook Messenger is the number 2 most popular chat app. And while WhatsApp is still the most used chat app with more than 2 billion monthly active users worldwide, more and more people are asking themselves what is the best alternative to WhatsApp?

The reason for people looking for WhatsApp similar apps is simply that the messaging app does not have a great privacy reputation. The most prominent scandal about WhatsApp has made it to the collective memory: In 2021 WhatsApp changed its privacy policy, ultimately privacy-first alternatives like Signal boomed.

The update of the WhatsApp privacy policy was understood by many that Facebook would now get their hands on your private WhatsApp data, potentially even contents of messages. While WhatsApp denied these claims, stating that all messages are end-to-end encrypted and inaccessible to the developers, these news still brought to light how closely interlinked the two companies now are - which was a wake-up call to many.

So why should you drop Meta’s chat ecosystem of WhatsApp, FaceBook Messenger, and the recent arrival Threads? The answer is simple, Meta’s business model operates by providing you with a ‘free’ service, thereby turning your behavior and data into a marketable product which they can in turn sell to advertisers and build their own ad service. This is made worse by the fact that, in fact, WhatsApp’s biggest competitor is Meta’s own Facebook Messenger. If this isn’t leaning towards the creation of a chat monopoly like Google’s search monopoly, I’m not sure what is. Fortunately, when it comes to only chat apps, the biggest rival is Signal, and that is very good news for the privacy community!

The ability to communicate with secure end-to-end encryption like in Signal - or Tuta - shouldn’t be dependent upon selling our digital souls. The data mined by Big Tech platforms can create a detailed picture of nearly every intimate detail of your life. Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, summed it up well when he stated: “We Know Where You Are. We Know Where You’ve Been. We Can More Or Less Know What You’re Thinking About.”

This should not be the status quo for our digital existence. And it doesn’t have to be! Thankfully, there are a number of apps similar to WhatsApp for iPhone, Android, or desktop computers which offer the same ease of use and features, without Meta’s painful price tag and abuse of privacy. Not only are they more private: the best WhatsApp alternative offers end-to-end encryption, making it a safer app than WhatsApp and a lot more secure than SMS texting.

We’re happy that more and more people are ready to leave WhatsApp - ot at the very least download and install an alternative to slowly migrate to a better way of texting.

Increasing your privacy on Android and iPhones is always a good idea; and quitting WhatsApp is one important step in achieving better privacy!

Final thoughts

In conclusion, we can say that there are lots of great messaging apps that easily exceed WhatsApp, are more secure, more private, and nonetheless offer a great set of features. As a fighter for privacy rights, I can say that Signal, Threema and Element are my personal favorites among the ones presented here, I’m eagerly watching the development of SimpleX and am optimistic about what they have to offer.

In addition, it is of course recommendable to also get a secure email account due to the interoperability of email providers. With Tuta Mail you can email anyone anywhere in the world - also password-protected and encrypted.

After all, the more data you encrypt, the more secure you are on the web!

Happy encrypting!