Best End-to-End Encryption Private Messaging Apps to Use in 2025

Jeni_Odley

Billions of people use messaging applications worldwide, providing a quick and convenient method of communication. Workplaces also use messaging apps to coordinate meetings, share pitch decks, and manage projects. With so many messaging applications available, we’re almost spoilt for choice of ways to talk with friends and family on a global scale. But just how private are our conversations, and are we the only ones who can see them? 

What is end-to-end encryption? 

End-to-end encryption is a secure communication method that prevents others from seeing our data as it transfers between devices. The data leaves the sender’s device in an unreadable format that can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. It cannot be read or tampered with by third parties along the way, keeping it safe from hackers or other prying eyes. This is particularly useful for devices handling sensitive data, such as healthcare or finance companies, but is just as important for our conversations on messaging apps. 

Here is our list of the best alternative end-to-end encryption apps for 2025, in no particular order. 

1. Signal

Signal is a free private messaging app that prioritizes privacy, keeping conversations secure using end-to-end encryption powered by the open-source Signal Protocol. With Signal, privacy is a given and not an option, meaning users are only seen or heard by the intended recipient. Users can share text or voice messages, photos, files, and GIFs while staying connected with friends and peers via group chats. Signal does not use affiliate marketers or ads, and there is no background tracking, giving users ultimate peace of mind. 

2. Telegram

Founded in 2013, Telegram is a popular and user-friendly private messaging service with around 900 million active monthly users worldwide. It is a cloud-based messenger with seamless sync, letting users access messages from several devices simultaneously. Messages sent through Telegram are heavily encrypted and can self-destruct, helping to keep them ultra-private. Moreover, Telegram group chats can hold up to 200,000 members, and there is no size limit on media or chats.  

3. SimpleX

SimpleX is the first messaging service to function without user IDs, allowing users to converse without entering personal and identifiable information. Moreover, Incognito mode gives users a different display name for each contact, avoiding sharing data. It offers end-to-end encrypted messages, including videos, files, voice messages, and decentralized groups that only users know about. SimpleX also includes disappearing messages for sharing sensitive information and does not store messages or data. 

4. Briar

Briar is a private messaging app designed for journalists, activists, and those requiring a safe platform to communicate. It does not rely on a central server and synchronizes messages between devices instead. Briar can sync via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or memory cards if the internet is down, maintaining access to information in all circumstances. The platform can be used via the Tor network for enhanced privacy and uses end-to-end encryption to prevent eavesdropping or tampering. Users not wishing for their IP address to be tracked are advised to use a VPN, as this can be revealed through P2P messaging. 

5. Matrix

Another private messaging app is Matrix, an open network offering secure and decentralized communication, so there are no single control points over conversations or the network overall. Users can chat with friends and family and even build their own communication applications. Matrix also fully supports end-to-end encryption for increased privacy. 

6. Olvid

Olvid is a French company offering end-to-end encrypted private messaging. It does not ask for access to an address book, nor does it ask users to provide personal data, leaving no digital trace behind. Only a Wi-Fi connection is required, and users can get started without a SIM card. After six years of research and development, Olvid offers maximum privacy even if hackers gain access to its servers. Olvid is available for a fee, claiming that other free messaging apps exchange user data to provide a free service.

7. Session

Designed to let users send encrypted messages and not Metadata, Session is an end-to-end encrypted messenger that rejects surveillance. It does not collect data, so users are safe if hacks or leaks occur, and accounts are completely anonymous. Session uses an onion routing network, leaving no traceable data behind. Furthermore, the app has no central point of failure, making it more difficult to shut down. 

8. XMPP

Used by millions and founded in 1999, XMPP is a free and open messaging service. XMPP utilizes emerging technologies like IoT, WebRTC, and Realtime Social, and undergoes continuous work by its engineers. The app facilitates messaging, multi-party chats, and voice and video calls, giving users everything they would expect from a messaging app, with enhanced privacy. Some well-known global names used XMPP, including Google Cloud Messaging, Facebook Chat integration, and NATO. 

What about WhatsApp? 

WhatsApp is a popular messaging platform used with around two billion monthly active users in 2024. Recently, Meta CEO and owner of the popular private messaging application WhatsApp Mark Zuckerberg said that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) can read messages despite the app’s end-to-end encryption. Although he stated that Meta servers do not see message contents, authorities can exploit vulnerabilities to bypass encryption, which may make users think twice about using the platform. As such, the messaging service is not included in the list above. 

Conclusion 

The world is now more interconnected than ever before, allowing us to chat with people globally in real-time. However, people are becoming increasingly aware of how vulnerable their data is to large tech firms, governments and hackers, and are looking for more secure alternatives. Here, we have highlighted some of the best apps for private messaging, with end-to-end encryption and even self-destructing messages. Be sure to check the specifications of messaging services before downloading to ensure their policies align with your requirements.

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