Signal Alternatives (2026): 10 Private Messaging Apps

Private messaging has become a normal choice rather than a niche one. People look beyond the best-known private app for different reasons: they don't want to share a phone number, they want decentralised chat, or they need something their team can run.

These ten Signal alternatives are listed in no particular order, sorted alphabetically. Some don't need a phone number, some run without central servers, and some are built for businesses. Each description comes from the app's own website, re-checked today. If you're moving a business chat, my guide to moving to WhatsApp Business safely covers the mainstream option.

Signal alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the app's own site describes it as free to use or free open-source software. No means the site describes it as a one-off purchase or subscription app.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Briar	Peer-to-peer messenger	Messaging without the internet	Yes
Delta Chat	Email-based messenger	Chat that runs over email	Yes
Element	Matrix-based chat	Decentralised team and group chat	Yes
Jami	Peer-to-peer communication	Calls and chat without central servers	Yes
Olvid	Secure messenger	No phone number or email needed	Yes
Session	Private messenger	Anonymous sign-up with no phone number	Yes
SimpleX Chat	Private messenger	No user identifiers at all	Yes
Telegram	Cloud messenger	Large groups and channels	Yes
Threema	Secure messenger	Anonymous IDs from a Swiss provider	No
Wire	Secure collaboration	Encrypted team messaging	Yes

Ten private messaging apps to compare with Signal

Briar

Best for: Activists and travellers who need messaging that can work over Bluetooth or wifi without internet.

Delta Chat

Best for: People who want a chat app that works with email accounts and needs no phone number.

Element

Best for: Teams and communities who want decentralised, encrypted chat they can self-host.

Jami

Best for: People who want calls and messages that run without a central server.

Olvid

Best for: Professionals who want a messenger that doesn't ask for personal identifiers.

Session

Best for: People who want to message without giving a phone number or email.

SimpleX Chat

Best for: Privacy-focused users who want chat with no user IDs or phone numbers.

Telegram

Best for: People who want large groups, channels and bots, with optional secret chats.

Threema

Best for: People who want an anonymous ID instead of a phone number from a Swiss provider.

Wire

Best for: Businesses that want encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing for teams.

Do you need to hide your phone number?

Here's a detail people often get wrong. Signal's own blog explains that you can create a username so people can message you without seeing your phone number, but you'll still need a phone number to sign up. For many people that's enough privacy. If you can't or won't give any number at all, look at the apps on this list that sign you up with an anonymous ID instead.

Encryption isn't the only thing that matters

• Metadata: who you talk to and when can reveal as much as what you say.
• Who runs the servers, and in which country.
• Open source code that independent experts can check.
• Default settings: some apps only encrypt certain chats unless you switch it on.

Getting your contacts to switch

1. Pick one app and stick with it, rather than asking friends to install three.
2. Start with the group that matters most, such as family or a small team.
3. Share an invite link or QR code instead of asking for phone numbers.
4. Keep the old app for a while, but move important chats first.
5. Explain the reason in one sentence, because people switch for a reason, not an app.

Private messaging for small businesses

Teams need things consumers don't: admin controls, the ability to remove someone who's left, message retention settings and sometimes compliance features. Consumer apps are fine for quick chats, but a team handling client data should use a tool built for business use. If you record or summarise meetings as well, my piece on the privacy risk of AI meeting notes is worth reading.

Backups and moving phones

Private messengers handle backups very differently. Some store nothing on their servers, so a lost phone means lost chats unless you've set up a backup yourself. Others keep encrypted backups you can restore with a passphrase. Check this before you rely on an app for anything important, and write your recovery details somewhere safe.

Group chats and calls

Small private groups work well on most of these apps, but large groups, channels and video calls vary a lot. If your main use is a big community or broadcast channel, test group size limits and call quality with a few people before you move everyone across.

Who should use which kind of app

• Everyday private chat with friends: a mainstream encrypted messenger your contacts already have.
• Not sharing any number: an app that signs you up with an anonymous ID.
• Communities and teams: decentralised or business-focused chat with admin controls.
• No internet at all: a peer-to-peer app that can work over Bluetooth or local wifi.

Do you make a private messaging app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing a Signal alternative

Decide what you're protecting: your phone number, your metadata or your team's data. Pick the app that fixes that specific worry, move your most important group first, and set up backups before you need them. The most private app is useless if nobody you know is on it.

Frequently asked questions

What's a good alternative to Signal?

It depends on what you need: phone-free sign-up, decentralised chat or business messaging. This list covers all three.

Do I need a phone number for Signal?

Signal's blog says you'll still need a phone number to sign up, but you can share a username instead of your number.

Which messaging apps don't need a phone number?

Several apps here sign you up with an anonymous ID or no identifier at all.

Are these apps free?

Most describe themselves as free or free open-source software, and one is a purchase app. The table shows what each site states.

Is end-to-end encryption on by default?

In many private messengers, yes. In some cloud messengers it's only on for special chats, so check the settings.

Can I back up private chats?

It varies. Some apps store nothing, so set up a backup yourself before you change phones.

Which app suits a business team?

Apps built for team collaboration offer admin controls and retention settings that consumer apps lack.

Can private messengers work without internet?

Some peer-to-peer apps can send messages over Bluetooth or local wifi when there's no internet connection.