5 Best Encrypted Messaging Software
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Key notes
- A strong encrypted messaging software is crucial for keeping your personal information safe.
- Messages that can self destruct allow you complete control over your own data sharing process.
- The use of message encryption software is the best way to chat, see other apps on our Security Hub.
- Your digital experience deserves the most intelligent apps, so take a look on our Software Section.
Millions of people exchange messages every day throughout the world, but how many of them really know what truly happens to their messages once they send them? Will these be intercepted by third-parties?
The unfortunate truth is that we do live in a world and age in which data logging and Internet surveillance are happening.
End-to-end encryption is the solution because it involves the fact that the service provider does not keep copies of the messages that you send from their server and only people with whom you are communicating can access them.
Thankfully, there has been a rise in the area of secure messaging apps, and we gathered five of the best open-source privacy software that will make sure to keep your messaging a safe and intimate process.
Check out their sets of features and choose the best program for your needs. The software is equally useful if you were looking for a secure messaging software.
What is the best encrypted messaging app?
Signal
Signal is a mobile application created by Open Whisper Systems. This is one of the few apps in the world to claim an endorsement from Edward Snowden.
Signal has made itself a secure place among the safest messaging applications for mobile users, as well as desktop users.
The software is based on the end-to-end encryption in order to secure the messages you share with other users. This app is free and extremely easy to use, and the best thing about it is that it’s open-source.
This means that the experts can easily inspect the application’s code for potential security flaws. One of the greatest things about this app is that the messaged can self-destruct after you set the desired amount of time.
While using Signal, you will be able to send high-quality group, text, video, voice, document and picture messages all over the world without the hassle of MMS or SMS fees.
You can also get the chance to make crystal clear voice and video calls to the people who live across your street but also across the ocean.
The messages and calls you’ll make via Signal are end-to-end encrypted and engineered in such a way to keep your communication safe.
One the best security features is that the platform itself cannot read your messages, and it cannot see your calls either. You will also be able to keep your chat clean with messages that you can set to disappear.
To use Signal, you will not require any PIN codes or other login credentials.
Wire
Wire is another app for secure messaging, and it was developed by Wire Swiss GmbH. Using this app, you will be able to exchange end-to-end encrypted instant messages and also make voice and video calls.
This is another fantastic free and open-source app, enabling all users to check out the security by auditing its code.
One of the most awesome characteristics is that Wire combines strong encryption with a robust feature set. You will be able to add and remove people as a team administrator and access and remove the history.
You will get to use unlimited group chats with 128 people, and you can also delete messages for everyone. The app allows you to make crystal clear voice calls and group call with up to ten people.
The video calls are encrypted as well, making sure you stay safe at all times. Wire allows you to share your files securely and all the file types are supported.
You can share your screen with up to ten people, and this makes the app ideal for collaboration. Your files and chats can also be synced between your devices, and the app is available on all essential platforms.
Wire lets you enjoy rich conversations by using emojis, GIFs, embedded videos and more. The messages will self-destruct when the timer runs out, and this means that the app is just perfect for sharing sensitive data.
⇒ Get Wire
Ricochet
Ricochet can also become your sidekick regarding safe messaging because it makes safety and intimacy its priorities. The app uses the Tor network in order to reach your contacts without relying on messaging servers.
The app will create a hidden service that will keep your IP secure. The app comes with a different approach to instant messaging that doesn’t trust anyone to protect the users’ privacy.
While using Ricochet, no one will ever know who you are, who you talk to and what you are saying. You’ll be able to share anything you want without disclosing your location and identity to third parties.
There will be no servers in the middle to monitor your activity, censor or hack. You can see when your contacts are online and send them messages safely.
The list of contacts will only be known by your computer, and it’s never exposed to network traffic monitoring.
On the app’s official website, we are noticed of the fact that Ricochet is still an experiment and as we all know security and anonymity and slippery topics so we should carefully evaluate the risks and exposure that come with any software.
Viber
Viber is a free open-source software that aims at allowing its users to securely chat with their buddies in privacy. This is what everyone wants these days, and Viber delivers it sucessfully.
The advanced security features make this app stand out among others, especially thanks to the encryption keys that exist only on your own personal device.
This means that the personal information you share is fully protected and not even the provider has access to it. You can even exchange secret keys with your contacts, just to make sure of their identity.
In addition you can edit or delete seen messages so it’s never tool late to change your mind when it comes to getting your point across, a feature that works even in group chats.
Erase any traces of the messages you sent with the self-destructive feature that allows you to set a certain timer for your messages before they disappear.
Some other fun perk are the customizable gifs and stickers that keep the communication process fun and dinamic.
Kontalk
This is another innovative way of messaging that comes for free, and it’s also open-source. The software makes sure to maintain your privacy and intimacy.
Kontalk assures users that both client-to-server and server-to-server channels are fully encrypted, so the risks for your data to leak is almost zero.
You will definitely be safe with end-to-end encryption and servers will never be able to decrypt your data. The app is run by the community for the community as you can see on its official website.
Kontalk is run by a community of volunteers who are splitting the costs among them and offering their servers. All the software that is used in the app’s network, both the client and the server is entirely open-source, and Github hosts it.
The app uses your phone number to identify yourself among the contacts without the hassle of remembering the user IDs and usernames.
All of these free open-source applications are guaranteed to allow you to maintain your intimacy and safety while chatting online. The y come in handy when apps like Telegram are not working on your PC.
They all come with extended and unique sets of features, so the best thing that you can do is head over to their official websites and check out their in-depth functionalities and advantages in order to be able to make an informed decision and the best one for your safety and messaging needs.
We’d like to hear more from you on this subject so feel free to drop us a comment in the dedicated section below.
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