Sometimes, you should keep things under the radar. Nonetheless, in today’s hyper-connected world, is that even possible?
And given how Whatsapp, the world’s most popular messaging app, is owned by Facebook – a company with a questionable history- are we safe?
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for you to communicate with other people secretly.
Hence, this is why we’re looking at the best secure messaging apps available today in this article.
1 Wickr
Founded in 2012, Wickr was one of the first messaging apps to use E2E messaging.
It also has several exciting features like fully encrypted video calls, secure file sharing, and self-destructing messages.
You can also password-protect access to the app and verify the other person’s identity – so that way, you won’t have to worry about impostors.
Also, Wickr runs on open-source software, which means that independent third parties can audit its code. All of which provide a greater degree of transparency at all times.
Pros:
- Available for Android, iOS, and PCs
- Secure file-sharing
- E2E encryption for messages and video calls
- Free-to-use
Cons:
- The app collects your metadata
2 Telegram
Telegram is widely regarded as one of the best secret messaging apps available.
Unlike other apps, Telegram doesn’t require you to use a phone number or sim card, for that matter.
Instead, you just have to create a public username that allows you to chat with other people secretly.
Telegram delivers on its promises when it comes to privacy. With the secret chats option, all of your messages are E2E encrypted, making it impossible for hackers or authorities to read your communications.
Telegram also supports secure file-sharing and is available on PCs and mobile devices.
Pros:
- Secret chats use E2E encryption to protect messages
- Secure file transfer
- Self-destructing messages
- No need to use a phone number
Cons:
- Not open-source
- E2E encryption is not available by default
3 Silent Phone
Silent Phone is a messaging app that offers a variety of unique security features not seen anywhere else.
The app is designed for enterprises looking for a secure method of communication. For example, Silent Manager allows you to wipe and uninstall Silent Phone on another device remotely.
As an added plus, files and messages sent via Silent Phone can be set to self-destruct after a certain period has passed, i.e., 2 minutes of 90 days. The user interface is intuitive and straightforward, making it easy to use Silent Phone.
As for data privacy and security, all messages and files sent via the app are secured via E2E encryption.
Pros:
- Top-notch security
- Secure file transfer, text messaging, and voice chat
- Can set messages to self-destruct
- Ability to remotely wipe and uninstall the app from devices
Cons:
- Unclear pricing plans
- Not many features
4 Signal
Endorsed by privacy activist Edward Snowden and approved for use by the U.S Senate, there’s no doubt that Signal has some impressive backers.
As a standard, the app features E2E encryption for text messages and both voice and video calls. Hence, this ensures that any intercepted communications are unreadable to the authorities or hackers.
Additionally, messages sent via the Signal app can be programmed to auto-delete after a set time has passed.
If you’re a fan of emojis, you will be disappointed to know that Signal does not support them.
Pros
- Available for Android, iOS, and PCs
- Uses E2E encryption for all communications
- Messages can be set to self-destruct after being sent
- Free-to-use
Cons
- It does not support emojis
If the list present is not satisfactory enough for you, you can try even more options here, rated by their safety: https://blog.tezro.com/best-encrypted-secure-messaging-apps/
Always do thorough research before putting your data somewhere and sharing personal and sensitive info that you want to keep private.
