We’ve tested the best encrypted messaging apps to protect your conversations from prying eyes, including governments and advertisers.
Your personal data is more valuable than ever—and not just to advertisers. Hackers, scammers, and even criminals are actively seeking your private messages, photos, and videos to exploit them for identity theft, AI-driven deepfake scams, or blackmail.
Communicating through a secure private messenger is the first step in protecting your data. For more than ten years, the cybersecurity team at SpyIdea has examined the best encrypted messaging apps.
Overall, Signal is our best choice because of its unwavering privacy, but there are other excellent choices as well.
We’ve tested the usability, social features, video, text and voice messages of some of the most well-known privacy-focused encrypted messaging services so you can choose the best one for you.
The Best Encrypted Messaging Apps Right Now (2025)
1. Signal Private Messenger: Best Overall in 2025
SpyIdea Rating: 4.5
Pros
- Free and nonprofit-owned
- Group and private texting
- Supports conference audio and video calls
- Available across multiple platforms
Cons
- Requires phone number for signup
Why We Picked It
Signal makes sense and is an excellent choice for private messaging. Since Signal is a nonprofit and all messages are encrypted from beginning to end (E2EE), there is no need to collect any user information. Because Signal’s underlying technology is so effective, Google and Meta have adopted it.
Who It’s For
Signal strikes the best balance between security and usability, which is why it is our top choice. It has improved without compromising its integrity and is now more accessible than before.
We value the free video conferencing features and variety of platforms offered, but we dislike that a phone number is required at sign-up.
Specs & Configurations
- End-to-End Encryption: For all messages by default
- Signup Requirement: Requires phone number
- Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
- Web Interface: Available
- Custom Stickers: Supported
2. WhatsApp: Biggest User Base
SpyIdea Rating: 4.0
Pros
- Free to use
- Enormously popular
- Self-destructing messages and images
- Supports video and voice calls
Cons
- Requires phone number to sign up
- Contact list access required on Android
- Trust issues with MetaWe think Signal is a great option for private messaging, and it’s clear why.
Why We Picked It
WhatsApp has achieved the kind of broad usage that tech companies hope for. WhatsApp was first created as a means of avoiding expensive international texting fees, but it has since expanded into a massive force. Since security is a top priority for the organization, E2EE is enabled by default for all conversations—aside from those involving business accounts.
Who It’s For
WhatsApp is a good option if you’re looking for an app that you won’t have to persuade people to download because most people you know are already using it. However, it has important disclaimers.
First of all, because Meta owns it, its future and the future of its privacy protections are in doubt. Second, law enforcement or hackers may be able to access its backups. Nonetheless, the business is very transparent about all of this and offers remediation when it can.
Specs & Configurations
- End-to-End Encryption: For all non-business messages
- Signup Requirement: Requires phone number
- Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows
- Web Interface: Available
- Custom Stickers: Supported
3. Telegram: Best for Social Networking
SpyIdea Rating: 3.5
Pros
- Strong social networking features
- Ad revenue sharing program for channel owners
- Helpful features and chatbots for business users
- Can delete messages for both sides
Cons
- End-to-end encryption only for secret chats and calls
- Requires phone number to sign up
- Needs contact access to message users
- Quick Replies feature not working (still in testing)
Why We Picked It
Telegram has transformed the concept of instant messaging into something completely original more than any other app. In addition to chatting with your friends, Telegram allows you to start communities, broadcast live, and more.
Who It’s For
You can create or join communities of people who share your interests on Telegram. This is your choice if you’re prepared to give up end-to-end encryption in exchange for an audience.
Specs & Configurations
- End-to-End Encryption: Available for some modes only
- Signup Requirement: Requires phone number
- Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
- Web Interface: Available
- Custom Stickers: Supported
4. Session: Best for Anonymous Texting
SpyIdea Rating: 3.5
Pros
- Free to use
- No personal info required at sign-up
- Default end-to-end encryption
- Decentralized data storage
Cons
- Inconsistent screenshot notifications
- Spotty calling functionality
- Slow text messaging
Why We Picked It
Session is an open-source messaging app that is extremely private and secure, and it works on all of your devices. We appreciate that by default, Session does not allow screenshots.
Who It’s For
Session is currently the best option for anonymous texting because its calling features are still in beta. We appreciate that the app doesn’t ask for personal information when you sign up, which makes it simpler to chat without leaving a data trail that could be used by prying eyes.
Specs & Configurations
- End-to-End Encryption: Enabled for all messages by default
- Signup Requirement: Requires phone number
- Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
- Web Interface: Available
- Custom Stickers: Supported
5. Briar: Best for Avoiding Surveillance
SpyIdea Rating: 3.5
Pros
- Decentralized network
- Screenshots blocked by default
- Easy to chat with people you know
Cons
- Only available for Android devices
- No discoverability
- No video or voice chat
Why We Picked It
Out of all the messaging apps we tested, Briar is the most privacy-focused. Fantastically, it doesn’t ask for user information and by default turns off screen recording and screenshots.
Who It’s For
Briar is ideal for activists, journalists, political figures, and anybody else concerned about surveillance because it does not require a central server to sync messages between users.
However, Briair is less useful for casual conversations with friends or family because it is text-only and only works with Android devices.
Specs & Configurations
- End-to-End Encryption: Enabled for all messages by default
- Signup Requirement: Requires phone number
- Supported Platforms: Android
- Web Interface: Available
- Custom Stickers: Supported
The Best Encrypted Messaging Apps for 2025: Compare Specs
| Feature | Signal �️ | WhatsApp 📱 | Telegram ✈️ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Privacy & Security | Largest User Base | Social Networking |
| End-to-End Encryption | ✅ All Messages | ✅ Non-Business Only | ❌ Secret Chats Only |
| Phone Number Required | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (Optional) |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Web Access | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Custom Stickers | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Price | Free | Free | Free |
Why Should You Use a Encrypted Messaging App?
Although the terms privacy and security are frequently used interchangeably, particularly in the jargon used to market cybersecurity products, they have quite different meanings.
When we discuss privacy, we’re talking about data that can be used to follow or identify you, such as pictures, conversations, location data, or family and friend names. When we talk about security, we mean whether you or your data are susceptible to theft or attack.
Since many things can compromise your privacy without necessarily compromising your security, we make this distinction.
You should be concerned about privacy protection because there are many people who are eager to collect and sell your data. The security of the chat app should be a priority for you because you don’t want your encrypted conversations, images, or videos to be compromised by hackers.
Best Encrypted Messaging App Security
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a technique used by the best services that encrypts messages so that only the intended recipients can see their contents, not the messaging provider or anyone watching your activities. Although all of the encrypted messaging apps in this roundup use E2EE, their implementations vary.
Both Briar and Session send and receive user messages via a decentralized network. This is fantastic because it prevents user data from being kept on a single, vulnerable server.
In-app screenshots and recording are automatically disabled for all users of both of these extremely secure messaging apps, though you can turn this feature off in Session’s Settings menu.
Although they provide fewer security features by default, encrypted messaging apps with more social features—like Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp, also give you the option to strengthen your platform security.
All group and individual chats, as well as voice and video calls, are automatically conducted over E2EE on Signal and WhatsApp. Google, Meta (read: Facebook), and others have evaluated and implemented the Signal Protocol, which is also used by both. With a few exceptions, Telegram and WhatsApp also use E2EE encryption, but Signal is the one we suggest.
The contents of your WhatsApp messages sent to a business account are not encrypted. Accounts for businesses are marked clearly. Furthermore, you wouldn’t expect the same level of privacy when speaking with a company like Big Max’s Kombucha Haus as you would when speaking with your spouse.
That’s not the case with Telegram’s E2EE implementation. The only end-to-end encrypted conversations on Telegram are Secret Chats. All other chats, including standard group and one-to-one conversations, are encrypted, but they are done so that Telegram is in possession of the keys.
This could result in the company reading your messages or being forced to give law enforcement access to your conversations.
Although Telegram previously stated that it would not do this, the company has recently modified its position on providing authorities with data. In any case, we favor implementing E2EE over in-house encryption techniques.
What’s the Best Messenger for Privacy Protection?
We have included apps for a variety of use cases because everyone has various reasons for using a private messaging app. This list includes E2EE apps that have social media features like broadcasting, video and audio conferencing, and the ability to find new contacts.
These apps are typically less private by default because they need more user data. The list also includes apps that allow you to communicate with people you know without disclosing any personal information. An overview of the privacy standards for each type of app is provided below:
Using Hybrid Apps for Messaging
Three messaging apps with social media features are Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp. Despite being entertaining, these features may compromise privacy since they require data in order to connect users with new individuals.
Signal is the most reliable of the three “private-yet-social” messaging apps; it is a free app that is operated by a registered nonprofit that guarantees it will never sell, rent, or lease user data.
While Telegram’s website has made multiple pledges to protect user privacy over the years, the company, which is for-profit, recently gave Android users access to dubious beta features. The platform is a breeding ground for scams and other cybercrimes, according to experts, because of its loose enforcement of rules.
WhatsApp’s reputation is its largest privacy issue. Facebook shares the scandalous history of the parent company because it acquired the app before it changed its name to Meta. To its credit, WhatsApp discloses all of the information it shares with its parent company and is transparent about its relationship with Meta.
Although some identifying information, such as IP addresses, may be shared, your messages are essentially encrypted (apart from those sent to businesses).
The three apps all ask for access to your contacts in order to locate your current friends, and each one requires a phone number to use. Thus, none of them are appropriate for anonymous communication.
For full-featured texting, Telegram and WhatsApp need access to your contact list, whereas Signal is the most user-friendly and shares the least amount of information. Your friends’ real phone numbers are never stored on Signal or WhatsApp since they hash the data from your contact list.
During testing, we were impressed by Telegram’s Secret Chats feature, which prevents screen recording and device-level screenshots. Both Signal and WhatsApp offer comparable features for users’ everyday conversations. Through the Settings menu, users of all apps can adjust their privacy settings.
Using Anonymous Messaging Apps to Text
In terms of privacy, apps like Briar and Session go a step further by enabling complete anonymity. Open-source and E2EE, these apps don’t gather user information when users sign up. Simply create a username-based login and add acquaintances to initiate conversation.
Briar and Session also don’t ask to access the contact list on your devices. However, these apps are designed for users who want to avoid surveillance, such as journalists or government agents, so there aren’t many “fun features” or ways to find new users.
Do Law Enforcement Have Access to Your Chats?
The bad news is that there are numerous ways for law enforcement to access your encrypted conversations. Fortunately, an FBI report from 2021 described in detail how well Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, and other platforms withstand these techniques.
It’s fantastic that the federal government claims that they are unable to access the contents of messages sent by Signal and Telegram (at least, not without the company’s assistance).
Despite this, law enforcement can learn a startling amount about WhatsApp users. The feds could easily obtain the unencrypted messages if those users backed up their WhatsApp to iCloud. Users of WhatsApp are advised to disable iCloud backups.
The FBI document that was previously mentioned includes some information about privacy. The report warns that Telegram may provide verified terrorists’ phone numbers and IP addresses. Signal does not provide such information, though it does need users’ phone numbers in order to operate.
Every 15 minutes, the FBI can use a pen register to get source and destination information (but not message contents) for messages, and it appears that the FBI can get some information on address book contacts with a court order.
What’s the Easiest Messaging App to Use?
It is simple to use any of the three encrypted messaging apps on this list if you are accustomed to texting. The user interface features well-known speech bubble text messages, and the settings allow you to change how the apps look.
WhatsApp has the most users. Almost everyone you’ve ever wanted to speak with—as well as everyone you hoped to never see again—is on the platform. The most difficult aspect of using the other apps on this list will be chatting with other users.
The apps are also quite enjoyable to use. Stickers, Stories, and reaction GIFs are among the playful features that Signal provides. These benefits have long been a part of Telegram and WhatsApp’s appeal.
When Telegram began to monetize some of its features, it placed access to specific usernames or emoji behind a paywall, which is not ideal. WhatsApp offers generative AI-powered tools for avatar customization, as well as the ability to add visually appealing backdrops or adjustments for your video calls.
Which Is the Most Social Messaging App?
Offering comprehensive social experiences, Telegram and WhatsApp enable you to quickly establish private and group chats with a large network of contacts that are already on the app. However, popularity comes with a cost. Recently, Telegram has made news for producing and disseminating false information through its extensive network of group chats.
We appreciate how simple it is to meet new people on Telegram, but a lot of its public areas are overflowing with spam and scammers.
This is due to the fact that Telegram functions more like a social media site than a private messaging app. Individual group moderators or channel owners are in charge of content moderation on Telegram, in contrast to conventional social networking sites.
Telegram group channels can contain anything from violent or explicit media shared by strangers to family-friendly hobbyists discussing common interests. It’s a good idea to exercise caution when using Telegram or any other private messaging app to communicate or join a new group.
What’s the Best Encrypted Messaging App for Video and Voice Calling?
Every platform makes voice and video calling tools simple to find and use. However, it is difficult to determine which is more reliable because it is heavily dependent on network conditions and individual hardware.
Signal and WhatsApp provide end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls, and Telegram’s encryption caveats apply to both.
Each service can accommodate 30 to 40 people, which is more than enough for a small group or family. Your best option if you want to gain followers is most likely Telegram.
You can use the service to form groups of up to 200,000 people. Nevertheless, for established or aspiring influencers, well-known social media and streaming sites like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch are probably preferable.
Signal recently received an update that brings its video conferencing features closer to those of Zoom, Google Meet, and other programs for large-scale ad hoc video calls.
Instead of launching a group call and sending out invitations, you can now make a Signal video call link and share it with anyone you want to join.
Which Encrypted Messaging App Is Safest?
Although all of the apps on this list promise to be fun, safe, secure, and social messaging apps, only one can truly live up to the hype. Winner of Editors’ Choice Signal protects your messages from law enforcement, spies, and even Signal with tried-and-true technology.
Your privacy is protected because the company has no incentive to collect and sell your data, as it is a nonprofit. Additionally, it performs well compared to the competition regarding entertainment value and usability.
FAQs about the Best Encrypted Messaging Apps in 2025
What is the best encrypted messaging app in 2025?
Signal is widely considered one of the most secure and best encrypted messaging apps available. It uses the Signal Protocol for end-to-end encryption, supports disappearing messages, voice and video calls, and works on both iOS and Android without storing encrypted messages on the cloud.
Are private messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram secure?
WhatsApp and Telegram both offer encrypted messaging, but differ in approach. WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption by default, while Telegram’s secret chats must be manually enabled. If you’re looking for highly secure messaging, Signal offers better security measures and does not link to your iCloud backups or expose your IP address.
Do secure messaging apps require a phone number?
Many private messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp do require a phone number for registration. However, apps like Session and Threema offer private chat without needing a phone number or email address, adding a high level of anonymity to your secure communication.
Can I use encrypted messaging apps on both Android and iOS?
Yes, most secure messenger apps such as Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp are available for both Android devices and iOS. These messaging platforms offer end-to-end encrypted voice messages, text messaging, and voice calling across devices.
What features should I look for in the best secure messaging apps?
The best secure messaging apps offer end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, private conversations, open-source code, and encrypted voice and video capabilities. Other key security measures include limiting third parties, avoiding data backups, and keeping screenshots blocked.
Can using a VPN make encrypted messaging apps more private?
Yes, a VPN can help protect your IP address and add a layer of anonymity when using an encrypted messaging app. This is especially helpful on less secure networks or when accessing messaging apps on the market that may log metadata.
