Chat
Chat & Communicatin: Your words, Your Control
In an era of data mining, private communication is an act of freedom. Many popular apps encrypt messages but log extensive metadata on US servers. True privacy requires End-to-End Encryption (E2EE), zero metadata collection, and no mandatory phone number.
The Reality: WhatsApp and Discord (Meta/Tencent) harvest data despite encryption. Discord even reads messages for moderation.
Our Recommendation: Choose Signal, Threema, Session, Wire or Skred for full anonymity. Choose wisely: choose communication that truly belongs to you.
Our proposed alternatives:
Comparison Table: Functionality, Ease of Use, Users & Privacy
| Feature | Signal | Threema | Session | Skred | Telegram | Discord | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| End-to-End Encryption1 Messages are encrypted so only sender and recipient can read them. | ✅ Yes (default) | ✅ Yes (default) | ✅ Yes (default) | ✅ Yes (opt-in) | ❌ No (only in "Secret Chats") | ❌ No (only in DMs with E2E enabled) | ✅ Yes (default) |
| Decentralized2 No central server; messages sent directly between users or via federated networks. | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Phone Number Required | ❌ Yes | ✅ No | ✅ No | ✅ No | ✅ No (optional) | ✅ No | ❌ Yes |
| Video Calls | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (via Element Call/Jitsi) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Group Chats | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| File Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Open Source | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (client yes, server no) | ❌ No (client yes, server no) | ❌ No |
| Metadata Protection3 Whether the service collects IP addresses, contact lists, or other metadata. | ⚠️ Limited (IP addresses, contact lists) | ✅ No metadata | ✅ No metadata | ⚠️ Minimal (depends on Matrix server) | ❌ No (IP addresses, contact lists) | ❌ No (extensive metadata) | ❌ No (IP addresses, contact lists, location) |
| Jurisdiction4 Legal jurisdiction of the service provider (e.g., US, EU, Switzerland). | US | Switzerland | Global (P2P) | Europe (France) | Dubai (UAE) | US | US (Meta) |
| Active Users (2026) | ~40-50 million | ~10-12 million | ~2-3 million | ~50,000-100,000 | ~700 million | ~150 million | ~2.5 billion |
| Overall Privacy Score (1-10) | 8/10 | 10/10 | 10/10 | 9/10 | 4/10 | 3/10 | 2/10 |
| Funding Model | Non-profit (donations, grants) | Paid (one-time purchase) | Non-profit (donations) | Non-profit (donations) | Freemium (ads, premium features) | Freemium (ads, premium features) | Freemium (ads, data monetization) |
🔍 Explanation of Key Fields
1. End-to-End Encryption (E2E)
✅ Yes (default): All messages, calls, and files are automatically encrypted so that only the sender and recipient can read them. No one else, including the service provider, can access the content. Example: Signal, Threema, Session (all enable E2E by default for all communications).
✅ Yes (opt-in): E2E encryption is available but must be manually enabled for certain chats or features. Example: Skred (Matrix-based, E2E must be enabled for private chats).
❌ No: Messages are not encrypted by default, or encryption is only available in specific modes (e.g., Telegram’s "Secret Chats"). Example: Telegram (standard chats), Discord, WhatsApp (metadata is not E2E-encrypted).
2. Decentralized
✅ Yes: The platform does not rely on a central server. Messages are sent directly between users (P2P) or via a federated network (e.g., Matrix servers). Example: Session (P2P), Skred (Matrix-based, federated). Benefit: No single point of failure or control; users can host their own servers.
❌ No: The platform relies on a central server controlled by a single entity (e.g., Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram). Downside: The service provider can access metadata (e.g., IP addresses, contact lists) and may be subject to government requests.
3. Metadata Protection
✅ No metadata: The service does not collect or store IP addresses, contact lists, or other metadata. Example: Threema, Session (designed to minimize or eliminate metadata collection).
⚠️ Limited/Minimal: Some metadata (e.g., IP addresses) may be collected, but efforts are made to minimize it. Example: Signal (collects IP addresses temporarily), Skred (depends on the Matrix server used).
❌ No: The service collects extensive metadata, including IP addresses, contact lists, location, and usage patterns. Example: WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram (all collect metadata for analytics, ads, or compliance).
4. Jurisdiction
US: Subject to US laws (e.g., Patriot Act, FISA), which may require companies to hand over data to authorities. Example: Signal, Discord, WhatsApp (Meta).
Switzerland: Strong privacy laws (e.g., Swiss Federal Data Protection Act). Companies like Threema benefit from strict data protection. Example: Threema.
Europe (France): Subject to GDPR, which provides strong privacy protections for users. Example: Skred.
Dubai (UAE): Subject to UAE laws, which may have less stringent privacy protections compared to Europe or Switzerland. Example: Telegram.
Global (P2P): No central jurisdiction, as the network is peer-to-peer (e.g., Session). Benefit: No single government can easily access user data.