Have the recent privacy problems with WhatsApp convinced you lot it'due south fourth dimension to discover a new messaging app? If so, you lot've come to the correct place. In this commodity we're going to review what the heck is going on hither. Then we'll accept quick looks at 5 secure messaging apps that actually respect your privacy.

Finally, we cover a few of the common questions that people take about WhatsApp, privacy, and alternative secure messaging apps. So allow'southward dive in!

Editor'south Annotation:
Guest author Heinrich Long is a writer at Restore Privacy, a blog dedicated to inform about all-time online privacy practices, secure your electronic devices, unblock restricted content and defeat censorship.

Overview of WhatsApp privacy issues

WhatsApp has a couple of bug that seem to all be hitting at the same time. One result appeared Jan 10, 2022, when WhatsApp group invite links and user profiles started appearing in Google searches. This could allow someone who spotted such links in a Google search to join the indexed groups.

Thousands of user profiles were also indexed past Google, which could lead to a user'due south data, including phone number and contour photograph, being exposed to outsiders. WhatsApp has reportedly stock-still the Google indexing trouble — but it may be too belatedly if your data has already been exposed in the wild.

The other issue bedeviling the service right at present is their new Terms of Service. Those terms will require users to consent to WhatsApp sharing user information with Facebook. Yes, this is the same Facebook that has been plagued with privacy scandals over the years. And if users don't consent to this sharing past February 8, 2022, they will not be able to use the service any more.

What kind of information volition WhatsApp share with Facebook? Sensitive data that many people won't want shared. Information technology reportedly includes your user ID, device ID, hardware model, operating system, bombardment level, indicate strength, app version, browser info, mobile network, language, time zone, IP address, phone number, email address, contacts, advertizing data, and payment information.

According to this Wired commodity, WhatsApp has been sharing much of this information with Facebook since 2022. Merely the pop ups that just started actualization, forth with Facebook's recent history of privacy problems, seem to accept finally tipped the public against WhatsApp.

Resolving to get away from WhatsApp is a good first stride — but then comes the challenge of what to switch to. We've got your back on this i. Then let'south talk about our top 5 alternatives to WhatsApp.

Top v Alternatives to WhatsApp

There isn't any ane service that works as a direct replacement for Facebook's WhatsApp. If you ignore the privacy issues, it is an first-class product, with tons of features and a multi-billion person user base of operations.

Our 5 best WhatsApp alternatives each have their own unique characteristics that you demand to consider. What they practice all have in common is that they don't collect massive amounts of user information, metadata, or personally identifiable information, and they aren't almost to share information technology all with Facebook.

We'll start with the messenger app that is getting the almost attention these days, with recommendations from people like Edward Snowden and Elon Musk. That messenger app is called Signal.

1. Betoken

Betoken is a free messenger that features secure, cease-to-stop encrypted text, vox, and video chats, voice and video calls, also as secure file and photo transfers. It is built around the Betoken Messaging Protocol, widely recognized as the most secure messaging protocol available.

More chiefly for this conversation, Signal goes out of its way to gather and store as little of your data as possible. Whereas WhatsApp gathers loads of data and stores it in their own servers, this WhatsApp alternative simply records:

  • your phone number
  • the appointment and time you joined the service
  • the date you last logged on

Any other data Betoken uses, such every bit your contact list, who you take been communicating with, and the groups you belong to, is encrypted and stored on your device. As a effect, no ane, non fifty-fifty Point'due south own personnel, can see whatever of this data without concrete access to your device (or the device of someone who communicates with you lot).

How good is Signal? Their site features endorsements from experts similar Edward Snowden, Bruce Schneier, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. And when the whole WhatsApp controversy blew up, none other than Elon Musk suggested people move to Signal.

Yous can get the Point mobile app for free on Android and iOS devices. They likewise have a desktop version that runs on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux machines.

Sound promising? So check out Restore Privacy'southward consummate Indicate Messenger review to learn more.

2. Telegram

Telegram is another skilful option if you want to escape from the WhatsApp data disaster. It offers the like capabilities to WhatsApp, forth with a huge user base. Virtually of the people yous desire to talk to are probable already using it. Telegram is cloud-based, which lets you utilise information technology on multiple devices simultaneously.

They get together less information than WhatsApp does, and they don't hand whatever of it over to Facebook. Nonetheless, they do utilise server-side encryption for individual and group chats that are stored on their servers. You'll want to use Surreptitious Chats for the almost individual communications, since encryption is non enabled by default with the Telegram app.

You can get Telegram for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac Os, and Linux.
For more details, run across our Telegram Messenger review.

3. Threema

Threema is a mature, powerful messaging app that somehow never gained a wide audience. Unlike some of the other WhatsApp alternatives in this guide, Threema is not gratuitous. It costs $2.99, but you don't have to get through the Google Play Store — the APK is too bachelor for direct purchase and download.

With only a few million users worldwide, chances are that about of your contacts have never heard of Threema, much less used information technology. Simply if y'all are concerned with protecting your data from existence used by others, it might be exactly the WhatsApp alternative yous need.

You tin use Threema totally anonymously. By default, you are identified on Threema by a randomly-generated ID that isn't associated with whatsoever user-identifiable data, and Threema doesn't log anything anyway. The service uses stiff end-to-end encryption, so just the intended recipient of a message tin read it.

Threema recently completed a transition to open source software, and the lawmaking is audited regularly then you can be confident that they aren't doing anything sneaky that could compromise your anonymity.

Threema runs on Android and iOS devices, and also has a browser-based chat for desktop utilize. To acquire more nigh Threema, including their special versions for business and educational settings, check out Restore Privacy'south full Threema review.

4. Wire

Wire is a corporate collaboration suite with secure messaging, group conversation capabilities, file-sharing, and more. They likewise offer Wire Personal, which can be a good replacement for WhatsApp. Wire Personal is open source, end-to-end encrypted software, and it is completely free to employ.

The visitor does log some information, just non to the extent that WhatsApp does. You demand to provide either an email accost or a telephone number to create an account. Registering with a disposable e-mail accost is a much more private way to get than using your phone number.

Like Threema, Wire Personal has a very small user base of but a few hundred thousand users. While it is gratis and works cracking at present for personal utilise, it might non be a long-term solution given its limited adoption.

Wire Personal is available for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac Os, and pop browsers.
Get the consummate story on Wire Personal in Restore Privacy's Wire messenger review.

5. Wickr Me

You lot know a messenger app is secure when an elite military force chooses to use information technology for advice in a gainsay zone. Wickr was recommended for apply by the 82nd Airborne'southward Task Strength Devil when they were deployed at an unidentified location in the Heart East. If the Wickr production line is good enough for them, then Wickr Me is surely a good plenty WhatsApp replacement for united states of america civilians.

Wickr Me uses bearding accounts. With no personally identifiable data for them to log, the kind of problem we are seeing with WhatsApp's use of metadata can't be.

All Wickr Me content is ephemeral. All messages and attachments self-destruct after the length of time yous specify. Fifty-fifty if someone invents a breakthrough computer that can crack the encryption Wickr Me uses, there won't be whatsoever messages sitting effectually on your device to crevice.

Wickr Me is available for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac Bone, and Linux.
Learn more near Wickr Me'due south unique features in Restore Privacy's full review.

WhatsApp alternatives FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions when the field of study of the chat is alternatives to WhatsApp.

What are the dangers of using WhatsApp?

As of today, 1 thing that is non at risk when you utilize WhatsApp is the content of your letters. The service's end-to-end encryption remains secure.

The danger is that WhatsApp collects a massive amount of other personally identifiable information virtually their users and volition share it with Facebook, the parent visitor.

What happens on Feb 8, 2022?

February viii, 2022, is the date when WhatsApp's new privacy policy goes into effect. If you lot live in the European union or United Kingdom, this isn't a very big deal. But if you live anywhere else in the world, information technology is.

That's because the new policy requires you to concord to WhatsApp sharing all the data it has most you with Facebook. This include sensitive things like your user ID, device ID, phone number, email address, contacts, advertising information, and payment data.

Facebook will of course be using whatever data it gets for its own purposes, selling it to third party marketers, and probably providing information technology to the FBI, NSA, and any other government agency that wants to go on tabs on who you lot talk to using WhatsApp.

What happens if you don't hold to these intrusive terms? You take to immediately delete your WhatsApp account.

Where is the all-time place to download WhatsApp alternatives?

It depends on which app you decide to utilise. Indicate suggests yous download the mobile app from Google Play or the Apple tree App Store. Telegram is available through those sources, too. Simply you can as well download the APKs direct from F-Droid or TechSpot Downloads if you are an Android user.

Is Signal safer than WhatsApp?

Yes. Both products utilize potent stop-to-stop encryption to protect the content of your messages. But WhatsApp gathers a large corporeality of data which it is most to begin handing to Facebook. This data can help identify you with a high degree of accuracy, which ways y'all can exist tracked as you travel around the internet.

Signal gathers but your phone number. Point is also open source and their code has been extensively reviewed by privacy experts. There is no secret recording of user data that could exist used to violate your privacy or rail yous every bit you move around the internet.

In decision

If you are concerned with your online privacy, it is time to join the oversupply and abandon WhatsApp. While you lot won't find a competing product with the exact same characteristics as WhatsApp, there are several competitors that could see your needs. We profiled the top v alternatives to WhatsApp hither, and included links to our in-depth reviews of each.

You lot have until Feb viii, 2022 to either let WhatsApp to share your data with Facebook, or to switch to one of these alternatives. We urge you to download one or more of these messengers and start testing it correct away. You only have a few weeks to brand your movement.