Privacy Features of Popular Messengers

In the world of secure messaging, not all apps are created equal. Let's take a look at the privacy features of SimpleX, Signal, Session, and Threema.

1

SimpleX

- Fully decentralized with no central servers.

- No phone number or email required.

- Minimal metadata collected.

- Strong anonymity with no user identifiers.

- Users can run their own servers.

- Focused on privacy.

2

Signal

- Strong end-to-end encryption.

- Requires a phone number (less anonymous).

- Collects some metadata (e.g., contact discovery).

- Centralized, with servers controlled by Signal Foundation.

- Widely adopted, with a balance between privacy and usability.

3

Session

- Decentralized and uses Onion routing (Tor) for added anonymity.

- No phone number or email required.

- Minimal metadata.

- User IDs are public keys, providing strong anonymity.

- Open-source community servers, users can run their own nodes.

4

Threema

- End-to-end encryption, but partially open source.

- No phone number required, can use an anonymous ID.

- Some metadata is collected, but it's limited.

- Centralized, with servers controlled by Threema GmbH.

- Requires a one-time fee, but offers robust privacy features.

Conclusion

SimpleX for decentralization & privacy purists.

Signal for strong encryption with a user-friendly experience.

Session for anonymity-focused users.

Threema for those wanting privacy with an anonymous ID system.