10 Best Secure Messaging Apps for Android & iOS (2024)

Security is one of the vital factors which keeps your online conversations safe within a messaging app. In this blog post, I’ve reviewed the 10 best encrypted messaging apps that are popularly known for maintaining a well-built security infrastructure. 

Chat App Security is one of the vital factors which keeps your online conversations safe within a messaging app. 

Every app claims to be safe. But, many of them still fall prey to data hacking and malware attacks. Also a few app owners, third-party organizations and Governments could still read private messages to collect information on you. 

While this stays a threat to privacy, there are a good number of apps that take security quite seriously. They focus on modern privacy while perfectly balancing to offer immersive communication features. 

And I’d like to introduce the best 10 among them in this article. Let’s jump right in! 

The Most Popular Secure Messaging Apps (Top 2024 Reviews)

1.Signal

Most Popular Private Messenger

Signal is an incredibly safe messaging app with impressive chat features and powerful encryption tools.

When you use Signal, you will not be distracted by annoying ads or affiliate marketing. Neither will it track your data for any marketing purposes. Yes, Signal purely focuses on respecting your privacy and providing the most secure messaging experience. 

Also, it is convincing to know that Signal does not save any of the encryption keys. This means, it cannot cipher your conversations – read your texts or listen to your calls. 

Besides, there are a good number features you’ve got to explore with Signal, Let’s take a quick peek at them below:}

What Features Make Signal Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support Signal App?
Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows

How Much Does it Cost to Use Signal App?

• It is completely free to use

How Many People Use Signal in 2022?

• Over 40 million users

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2.iMessage

Best Secure Chat App for Apple Devices

iMessage is designed to be secure and is built with End-to-end encryption. 

Its security protocol does not allow any third party access to read your conversations when they are in transit. This app comes with its own style of messaging features and makes conversations more immersive and safe. It offers users complete control over their messages and allows them to choose their own privacy options. 

For example, iMessage users can set a limit to the number of times a message can be viewed.  

However, one setback of this service is that, when you backup your chat in iCloud, some of your messages can be accessed by law enforcement.

iMessage utilizes the Apple push notification service protocol, that establishes a keep-alive connection with Apple’s servers. Each connection has a unique code, serving as an identifier for the route needed to deliver a message to a specific device. That’s why iMessage requires a consistent internet connection to operate, and it won’t function properly if there is no service on iPhone.

What Features Make iMessage Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support the iMessage App?
Available on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.

How Many People Use iMessage in 2022?

Over 1.3 billion active users worldwide

How Much Does it Cost to Use the iMessage App?

It is completely Free to send/ receive messages between devices registered to iCloud. But if you need to send messages to Android messages, they are delivered as text messages, for which the network provider may charge the cost per SMS.

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3. Telegram

Highly Secure One-to-One Chat App

Telegram is popularly known to secure user conversations with its interesting privacy control features. It offers the ‘secret chat’ option that allows users to have end-to-end encrypted conversations. 

This platform also gives users the freedom to choose their own level of security standards with its many features like disappearing or self-destructing messages.

However, these controls apply only to one-to-one chat. Because, Telegram does not offer E2E encryption to its group chat feature. 

What Features Make Telegram Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support the Telegram App?
Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux and any web platforms

How Many People Use Telegram in 2022?

Over 700 million monthly active users

How Much Does it Cost to Use the Telegram App?

It comes with a Free plan and a Premium plan – Rs 460 per month

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4. Wire

Secure Messaging and Collaboration App

Only very few apps in the chat platform market offer a default end-to-end encryption – and Wire is one among the gems. 

This platform is uniquely known for its use of new encryption keys for each message. Thereby, it protects the chances of single keys getting compromised during the message transit in the same channel. 

Besides, it completely abides by the compliances set by Switzerland and European Union, making it more trustworthy as a chat app.

What Features Make Wire Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support Wire App?
Android – version 7.0 or above, Windows – version 7 or above, iOS – version 10.0 or above, Linux, macOS – version 10.10 or above, Web: Opera 27 or above, Safari 7 or above, Chrome 26 or above, Firefox – version 31 or above.

How Many People Use Wire in 2022?

Above 1,800 B2B/ Enterprise customers 

How Much Does it Cost to Use The Wire App?

• Wire for Basic : Free
• Wire for Enterprise : Starts from $7.65
• Wire for Government : Custom Pricing

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5. Threema

Best Encrypted Messenger App

If you are looking for an app that works best for secure one-to-one messaging – Threema makes it to the top. 

This messaging platform takes complete control over the metadata associated with the user information and imposes strict limitations on its use. 

When a message is delivered to the recipient, Threema’s server immediately deletes the messages and its associated details. This strongly prevents third parties from gaining access to even negligible levels of conversation data. 

Which Platforms Support The Threema App?

Compatible Platforms:
Android : Phone, Tablets, Android Auto, Smart watches & iOS: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch

How Many People Use Threema in 2022?

Over 10 million users

How Much Does it Cost to Use Threema App?

Threema offers Annual packages / License:

• Essential Package: $ 10.99
• Professional Package: $ 32.99
• Advanced Package: $ 21.99

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6. WhatsApp

Most Secure Instant Messaging Platform

We cannot deny that Whatsapp has made instant messaging easy and convenient for users around the world. 

With Whatsapp becoming an everyday necessity to connect to friends, family and business stakeholders, it is important to scrutinize the security features it offers to its users. 

Similarly, just like any strong security infrastructure, whatsapp also encrypts conversations end-to-end. It also allows users to remove their data from the cloud whenever they want.

What Features Make Whatsapp Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support WhatsApp?
Android, iOS and web

How Much Does it Cost to Use WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is completely Free to use

How Many People Use Whatsapp in 2022?

Over 2.44 billion users

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7. Wickr Me

Highly Secure Private Messaging App

Apart from being a secure video chat app, Wickr is also an effective collaboration tool with immersive features. 

It does not require users to provide their contact numbers and email addresses to log into the app. Thereby, it restrains from storing any of the user data, to prevent access by third-party attackers. 

Using its Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) encryption, the app frequently and automatically changes its encryption keys to keep the security infrastructure even stronger and sturdy

What Features Make Wickr Me Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support the Wickr Me App?
iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux

How Much Does it Cost to Use Wickr Me App?

Wickr Me offers Monthly Packages that include:

• Basic: $0 ( for max. 30 registered users)/ month
• Silver: $4.99 users/month
• Gold: $9.99 users/month
• Platinum: $25 users/month

How Many People Use Wickr Me in 2022?

Over 11.6 million users

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8. Viber

Secure Messaging Software

Viber has been popular for offering full encryption for one-to-one chats. 

With a surge in demand from its active users, the platform took a step forward to bring its group chat into the encryption radar. But, that’s not the only thing distinctive about Viber. The app has set a colour-coded encryption display on each chat profile. 

When you connect to a conversation coded Green, it means your contact is trusted and your chat is encrypted.

If the code is Grey, it means your contact hasn’t been marked ‘trusted’, but your chat is end-to-end encrypted. 

Whereas, a Red code indicates that there was a problem authenticating the contact. 

What Features Make Viber Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support the Viber App?
Available in all Android, iOS and Huawei phones and on windows and Mac computers

How Much Does it Cost to Use The Viber App?

Viber is free to make app to app conversations. International roaming charges may be implied by your internet service provider.

How Many People Use Viber in 2022?

Over 9.3 million users

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9. Pryvate Now

Best App for Messaging Privacy 

Pryvate Now has been built with the focus on providing a secure communication infrastructure for business professionals and enterprises. 

This platform creates unique encryption keys for each conversation and does not store any of the keys to the servers. 

Pryvate Now initialises the communication between users and does not interfere with any of the data transmitted across the user channels. It is popularly known to protect even the group conversations involving 500+ users.

What Features Make Pryvate Now Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support the Pryvate Now App?
Android, iOS

How Much Does it Cost to Use the Pryvate Now App?

• Free for Personal Use
• Enterprise Light: £4.99/ month
• Enterprise: Server Cost/ month
• SME: £2.50 upto 50 SMEs/ month

How Many People Use Pryvate Now in 2022?

Over 50000 users

10. Line

Best App for Private Chat Security

Line is one of the fastest growing messaging apps in the world, with a secure communication infrastructure. 

Apart from providing messaging, voice and video calls, Line is also popular for integrating banking and shopping features. This calls in for an added layer of security. 

And that is where Line stands out in protecting its users with the help of ‘Letter-sealing’. This feature is a strong end-to-encryption solution built by Line to provide users a hassle-free chat experience.

What Features Make Line Safe To Use?

Which Platforms Support the Line App?
Android, iOS and Web Apps

How Much Does it Cost to Use The Line App?

Line App is completely Free to use

How Many People Use Line in 2022?

Over 178 million active monthly users

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To Wrap up,

If you’d ask my personal choice among these secure messaging apps, I have 3 picks – Signal, Whatsapp and Telegram. All three apps have transcended from being a mere chat app to a powerful  communication tool to this tech-savvy generation. 

When comparing the three platforms, 

• Telegram is subjected to handover a few user information to Governmental forces to keep national security at sane level. 
• Whereas, Whatsapp is bound to share user data to its parent company Meta that focuses on providing customized services. 
• In this case, Signal stands top on my list since neither it has data to share nor it focuses on Monetization. So, I call it loud again – Signal is the most secure messaging app you can use in 2022. 

Didn’t Find The Secure Chat App You Were Looking For? 

It is totally understandable if the app that you root for is not on my list. Because there is an ideal solution – Building your own app! 

Whether you are an expert developer or a beginner with no prior coding experience, I’ve got you covered. Check out MirrorFly Chat APIs that can help you develop a fully functional chat app with just a few lines of code. 

Within minutes, you will be able to build an app with seamless scalability and high-end security. Get set, use their easy-to-follow documentation and build an app of your own.

Build safe and Chat safe!

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