The best WhatsApp alternative for privacy in 2026 is Signal, because it combines end-to-end encryption with minimal metadata collection and a fully open-source codebase. WhatsApp encrypts message content but still collects metadata including who you talk to, when, how often, your IP address, device information, and location data. For users who want messaging privacy beyond content encryption, these five alternatives offer stronger protections with different tradeoffs.
Meta’s data practices continue to drive users toward privacy-focused alternatives. WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update, which expanded data sharing with Meta’s advertising infrastructure, triggered a wave of migrations that has not reversed. In 2025, regulatory actions in the EU and India further highlighted the gap between WhatsApp’s marketing claims and its actual data handling. If you have been considering a switch, this comparison covers the five strongest privacy alternatives available right now, ranked by overall privacy protection.
Privacy Comparison Table
| Feature | Signal | Telegram | Session | Threema | Element (Matrix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default E2E Encryption | Yes, all chats | No (Secret Chats only) | Yes, all chats | Yes, all chats | Yes, all chats |
| Metadata Collection | Minimal (phone number only) | Phone number, IP, contacts | None (no phone/email needed) | None (anonymous purchase) | Minimal (server-dependent) |
| Open Source | Full (client + server) | Client only | Full (client + server) | Full (client + server) | Full (client + server) |
| Phone Number Required | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Self-Hosting Option | No | No | No (decentralized network) | Yes (Threema OnPrem) | Yes (Matrix homeserver) |
| Group Chat Limit | 1,000 members | 200,000 members | 100 members | 256 members | No practical limit |
| Disappearing Messages | Yes (1 second to 4 weeks) | Yes (Secret Chats only) | Yes (configurable) | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free (Premium tier available) | Free | One-time $5.99 | Free |
| Platform | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Web | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Web |
1. Signal: Best Overall Privacy Alternative
Signal is a free, open-source messaging app developed by the Signal Foundation, a non-profit organization. It uses the Signal Protocol for end-to-end encryption, the same protocol that WhatsApp itself licenses. The critical difference is what happens outside of message content. Signal collects almost no metadata. The only information Signal stores about you is your phone number, account creation date, and the last date you connected to the service. No message logs, no contact lists, no IP addresses, no usage patterns.
This minimal data collection was proven in practice when the U.S. government subpoenaed Signal for user data in 2021. Signal could only provide the phone number and registration timestamp, because that was literally all they had. Samsung has pushed hardware boundaries since the Samsung Galaxy S6 specs and design set new benchmarks years ago. You can explore related considerations in our WhatsApp linked devices on two phones analysis. Compare this to WhatsApp, which can provide extensive metadata records to law enforcement including message timestamps, contact associations, group memberships, and device information.
Signal supports encrypted voice and video calls (including group calls up to 40 participants), disappearing messages with configurable timers from 1 second to 4 weeks, encrypted stories, and a note-to-self feature. The app is available on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. Signal’s desktop app functions independently after initial linking, similar to how WhatsApp handles device verification. Understanding the Windows 10 subscription model helps contextualize current licensing strategies. The user interface closely mirrors WhatsApp’s layout, making the transition comfortable for switchers.
2. Telegram: Best for Features with Optional Privacy
Telegram offers a feature-rich messaging experience that surpasses both WhatsApp and Signal in functionality, but its privacy model requires deliberate configuration. Standard Telegram chats use client-server encryption, meaning Telegram’s servers can technically access message content. For genuine end-to-end encryption, you need to manually start a “Secret Chat,” which runs the MTProto 2.0 protocol with E2E encryption, self-destructing timers, and no server-side storage.
The tradeoff is functionality. Secret Chats do not sync across devices, do not support group conversations, and cannot be backed up. Most Telegram users never use Secret Chats, relying instead on the standard encrypted-in-transit model. Telegram argues that their distributed server infrastructure, spread across multiple legal jurisdictions, makes unauthorized access extremely difficult. Privacy purists consider this insufficient compared to true E2E encryption by default.
Where Telegram excels is in features that privacy-conscious users value: you can register without revealing your phone number to contacts, create anonymous public profiles, use usernames instead of phone numbers for contact sharing, and set granular privacy controls for your online status, profile photo, and forwarded messages. We cover related ground in our WhatsApp vs Telegram Channels comparison comparison. Telegram’s broader privacy features and secret chat capabilities have influenced the entire messaging industry, including WhatsApp’s own feature development.
3. Session: Best for Anonymous Messaging
Session is the most privacy-extreme option on this list. Built on a decentralized network of community-operated nodes (based on the Oxen blockchain infrastructure), Session requires no phone number and no email address to create an account. You receive a randomly generated Session ID, and that is your identity. There is no central server that stores your messages or metadata. Messages route through an onion-routing network similar to Tor, obscuring your IP address from both recipients and network observers.
Session uses the Signal Protocol (modified for decentralization) with perfect forward secrecy in one-on-one conversations. Group chats use a slightly different encryption scheme due to the decentralized architecture, but all messages remain end-to-end encrypted. The app is fully open source, and the decentralized architecture means there is no single organization that can be compelled to hand over user data, because no single entity possesses it.
The tradeoff is usability. Session’s decentralized network introduces higher latency than centralized services. Messages can take 2 to 10 seconds longer to deliver compared to Signal or WhatsApp. File sharing is limited to 10 MB per attachment. Voice and video calls are available but quality depends on the onion-routing network’s performance, which varies. Group chats max out at 100 members. If absolute anonymity is your priority and you can tolerate these limitations, Session delivers privacy protections that no centralized service can match.
4. Threema: Best for Paid Privacy Without a Phone Number
Threema is a Swiss-made messaging app that costs a one-time fee of $5.99 and does not require a phone number or email address for registration. You receive a randomly generated Threema ID, and you can optionally link a phone number or email for contact discovery (but it is not mandatory). Threema is fully end-to-end encrypted using the NaCl cryptography library, and the company’s entire codebase (client and server) is open source.
Switzerland’s privacy laws, among the strongest in the world, govern Threema’s operations. The company has repeatedly fought and won legal battles against government data requests, and their architecture ensures they hold minimal user data even if compelled. Threema generates its encryption keys locally on your device; the company never has access to your private keys. Contact lists are hashed and matched on-device, not uploaded to servers.
Threema supports text, voice messages, images, videos, files, polls, and group chats up to 256 members. Voice and video calls are end-to-end encrypted. The app includes a “Private Chats” feature that hides specific conversations behind a PIN. For businesses, Threema offers Threema Work and Threema OnPrem, which allows companies to run the entire messaging infrastructure on their own servers. The one-time payment model means Threema has no incentive to monetize user data; the app is the product, not the user.
5. Element (Matrix Protocol): Best for Self-Hosted Privacy
Element is a messaging client built on the Matrix protocol, an open, federated communication standard. Federation means anyone can run their own Matrix server (called a homeserver), and servers communicate with each other like email. You can create an account on the default matrix.org server or run your own. If you host your own server, you control 100% of your data, encryption keys, and metadata. No third party can access any of it.
Element uses the Megolm encryption protocol (developed for Matrix) for end-to-end encrypted group chats and the Olm protocol for one-to-one sessions. Cross-signed device verification ensures you are communicating with the intended recipient and not an impostor. The encryption is enabled by default in private conversations and can be enforced server-wide for organizations that require it.
The Matrix ecosystem supports bridging to other platforms, meaning you can use Element to communicate with users on Slack, Discord, Telegram, IRC, and other services through bridge integrations. This interoperability is unique among privacy-focused messengers. This connects directly to the factors we evaluated in our free no-log VPN services that passed audits review. Budget-conscious buyers have more choices now than during the Nokia Lumia era when the 625 and 1320 first proved affordable phones could compete. Government organizations including the French government, German military (Bundeswehr), and NATO have adopted Matrix-based systems for secure internal communication, validating the protocol’s security credentials at the highest levels.
Element’s tradeoff is complexity. Setting up a self-hosted Matrix server requires technical knowledge. The default matrix.org server is easy to use but introduces a trust dependency on the Matrix Foundation. The user interface is functional but less polished than Signal or WhatsApp. For technically inclined users or organizations with IT support, Element offers the most customizable and sovereignty-preserving option available.
How to Choose the Right Alternative
Choose Signal if You Want the Closest WhatsApp Replacement
Signal gives you the best balance of privacy, usability, and features. It looks and feels like WhatsApp, your contacts can find you by phone number, and the encryption is the strongest available in a consumer app. The phone number requirement is Signal’s only significant privacy limitation, and the Signal Foundation has been developing username-based contact discovery to address this.
Choose Session if Anonymity Matters More Than Convenience
Session is for users who need messaging that cannot be traced back to their real identity. Journalists protecting sources, activists in restrictive regimes, and privacy maximalists will accept Session’s usability tradeoffs for the guarantee that no phone number, email, or IP address is ever associated with their account.
Choose Threema if You Prefer a One-Time Payment Model
Threema’s business model aligns user and company incentives perfectly. You pay once, and Threema has no reason to collect or monetize your data. Swiss jurisdiction adds a legal layer of protection. The app works well for individuals and organizations that want enterprise-grade privacy without subscription fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Signal really safer than WhatsApp?
Yes. Signal and WhatsApp use the same encryption protocol for message content, but Signal collects dramatically less metadata. WhatsApp shares usage data, device information, contacts, and behavioral patterns with Meta’s advertising infrastructure. Signal collects only your phone number and last connection date. In terms of what a data breach or government request could reveal, Signal exposes almost nothing while WhatsApp exposes a comprehensive profile of your communication patterns.
Can you use these WhatsApp alternatives without a phone number?
Three of the five alternatives allow registration without a phone number. Session uses a randomly generated ID with no phone or email required. Threema assigns a random Threema ID and makes phone number linking optional. Element lets you create an account with just a username and password. Signal and Telegram both require a phone number for registration, though Telegram lets you hide your number from contacts afterward.
Which WhatsApp alternative has the most users?
Telegram leads with over 900 million monthly active users as of 2026. Signal has an estimated 100 million installs but does not publish active user counts. Threema has over 12 million users, concentrated primarily in German-speaking Europe. Session and Element have smaller but dedicated user bases in the privacy-focused and technical communities. User count matters because you need your contacts to also use the app for it to be useful.
Do these alternatives work for group chats and video calls?
Yes, all five support group chats and most support voice or video calls. Signal handles group chats up to 1,000 members with full encryption and supports group video calls with up to 40 participants. Telegram supports groups of 200,000 members. Session caps groups at 100 members. Threema allows 256 members per group. Element has no practical group size limit due to its federated architecture. Video call quality is best on Signal and Telegram, adequate on Threema, and variable on Session and Element.
