WhatsApp suits businesses and families who want groups, Channels, Status, a Business app and Meta AI in one messenger. Signal suits people who put privacy first: it's run by a nonprofit that says it can never be acquired, it carries no ads or trackers, and it encrypts every message and call by default. Use WhatsApp for reach and Signal for anything sensitive.
Both apps promise private messages and free calls, and both use end-to-end encryption, so the differences hide in the details. I read Signal's homepage and support centre, and WhatsApp's homepage, privacy page and WhatsApp Plus page, and the facts below are each company's own.
Signal and WhatsApp feature by feature
| Signal | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free to use | Yes, "Free for Everyone" | Yes, messaging and calling for free (data charges may apply) |
| Run by | Signal Technology Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit | WhatsApp LLC |
| End-to-end encryption | Every message and call, every time | Personal messages, calls, photos and videos |
| Cloud backups | Not covered on the pages I read | Encrypted in iCloud or Google Drive only if you turn it on |
| Ads and trackers | "No ads. No trackers." | Not covered on the pages I read |
| Extras | Encrypted stickers, groups, voice and video calls | Channels, Status, Meta AI, WhatsApp Business |
| Optional upgrade | None listed | WhatsApp Plus: themes, ringtones, pin up to 20 chats |
| Apps | Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac, Linux | Mobile, desktop, tablet and web |
Signal: privacy as the default
Signal's homepage says its end-to-end encryption, powered by the open source Signal Protocol, means it can't read your messages or listen to your calls, and nobody else can either. It adds that privacy isn't an optional mode, it's just the way Signal works. Its support centre says the app is designed never to collect or store sensitive information.
You can send text, voice notes, photos, videos, GIFs and files, make voice and video calls, run group chats and share encrypted sticker packs. Signal is an independent nonprofit, and says it's not tied to any major tech company and can never be acquired by one.
WhatsApp: reach and features
WhatsApp describes itself as simple, reliable, private messaging and calling, and you sign up with a phone number. Personal messages, calls, photos and videos are end-to-end encrypted, and the privacy page lists disappearing messages, controls over who sees you online, and tools to screen out spam and unknown callers.
On top of chat sit Channels, Status, groups, Meta AI and a separate WhatsApp Business app. WhatsApp Plus is an optional extra with custom themes and icons, exclusive ringtones, special-effect stickers and room to pin up to 20 chats.
The WhatsApp backup setting worth switching on
Here's the line on WhatsApp's privacy page I'd point everyone to. To extend end-to-end encryption to the copies of your chats saved in iCloud or Google Drive, you have to turn on encrypted backups. So your chats are protected in transit by default, but that backup protection is a setting you choose.
Signal takes the opposite stance on its homepage: privacy isn't something you switch on, it's how every message and call works. If you handle anything sensitive, that difference matters more than any feature list.
Which messenger suits which job
WhatsApp suits customer chats, family groups, community Channels and any business that already takes enquiries there. Signal suits private conversations with clients, journalists, lawyers and anyone who wants as little data held about them as possible. If you're weighing WhatsApp for marketing, my piece on whether WhatsApp counts as social media helps, and my WhatsApp help guide covers the settings.
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My advice for business owners
Keep WhatsApp for the conversations your customers start there, and turn on encrypted backups today. Then install Signal for the handful of chats where privacy matters most, such as contracts, health details or anything a client asks you to keep quiet. Running both is quick to set up, and you don't have to move everyone across to get the benefit.
Do you make messaging or communication apps? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Signal more private than WhatsApp?
Both use end-to-end encryption. Signal says it's designed never to collect or store sensitive information, carries no ads or trackers, and treats privacy as the default rather than an option.
Are WhatsApp backups encrypted?
Only if you turn it on. WhatsApp's privacy page says you can turn on encrypted backups to extend end-to-end encryption to messages saved in iCloud or Google Drive.
Who owns Signal?
Signal is run by Signal Technology Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit, and says it can never be acquired by a major tech company.
What is WhatsApp Plus?
WhatsApp Plus is an optional extra with custom app themes and icons, exclusive ringtones, special-effect stickers and the option to pin up to 20 chats.
Is Signal free?
Yes. Signal's homepage says it's free for everyone.
