Finding the Best Android Private Messaging App: We Have a Clear Winner
These days, privacy feels more like a rare privilege. If keeping your chats truly private matters to you, choosing the right messaging app is important. But with every app touting end-to-end encryption and next-level privacy, it’s tough to separate reality from marketing jargon. So, we rolled up our sleeves to find out which is the best private messaging app available for Android.
We’ve compared private messaging apps like WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Telegram with privacy-first apps like Signal, Session, and Threema to see which one comes out on top. This article dives into each app’s core privacy features, examines their track records, and explores how well they safeguard your data.
Let’s kick things off with a quick comparison table highlighting the key privacy features:
Let’s break down the essential privacy features and see how each messaging app stacks up against the others.
Table of Contents
End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)
End-to-end encryption ensures that only you and the person you’re communicating with can read the messages. No one else—not even the app or your internet provider can see them in the middle. This is a fundamental requirement for anyone seeking privacy. Apps likeSignal, Session, and Threemaoffer E2EE by default, making them the most secure.WhatsAppalso offers E2EE but is owned by Meta which doesraise concernsgiven their history.
WhileTelegramhas a reputation for privacy, chats aren’t E2E encrypted by default. You need to manually start Secret Chats, which takes a few additional and isn’t exactly convenient. Plus, following the CEO’s recent arrest, Telegram mentioned itmay share data with law enforcement, which casts doubt on its privacy promises.
Google Messagesonly encrypts RCS chats, and even then, only if the person you’re chatting with is using a compatible app. For example, RCS messages with iPhone users aren’t encrypted. That makes it confusing to know when your chats are secure, so it’s not the best choice for privacy-conscious users.
Backup Encryption
It’s not enough for messages to be encrypted while being sent—they should also be encrypted when backed up. Unfortunately,Google MessagesandTelegramalso fall short here, as theydon’t offer any encryption for backups.
On Android,WhatsAppstores backups in Google Drive without encryption by default. While WhatsApp introduced E2EE backups at the start of 2024, users need to enable it manually. This means even if WhatsApp messages are E2EE and you have enabled E2EE for backups too, your friends may not enable them leaving a flaw in the privacy.
All privacy-first messaging apps—likeSignal,Session, andThreema—offer E2EE local backups, giving you the highest level of privacy. Bit if you prefer cloud backups but still want to keep your messages private,WhatsAppis the best option. Just be sure to enable E2EE backups in Settings.
Key Change Alerts
The encryption key changes when any user changes the device, reinstalls the app, or in rare cases even updates the app. The messages will be encrypted automatically but if you prefer to verify the encryption, some apps like WhatsApp, Threema, andSignalprovide you alerts when the key is changed.
TelegramandGoogle Messagesnot only lack encryption but also fail to alert when the key is changed.
Sessionon the other end uses a decentralized network for encryption and communication is routed through a network of nodes. This decentralized setup ensures that even if a new device joins a conversation, the integrity of the encryption remains intact, reducing the need for constant key change alerts.
Open-Source
Open-source apps allow for transparency and community auditing.Signal,Session, andThreemaare fully open-source, whileWhatsAppandTelegramhave limited open-source components.Google Messagesis entirely closed-source, which reduces trustworthiness.
Metadata Handling
Along with the message data, these apps also handle metadata such as contacts we are communicating with, timestamps of messages, location services, IP address etc. Some companies use this data for their own needs while some messaging apps also keep such data secure.
To keep it simple,Signal,Session, andThreemaprioritize minimizing metadata collection.WhatsAppandGoogle Messagescollect moderate amounts of metadata.Telegramisknown for extensive metadata collection,which may compromise user privacy.
Anonymous Accounts and Username
Most messaging apps require a phone number to create an account. But if you want to stay completely anonymous and detached from your phone, your only options areThreemaandSession. Both services rely entirely on usernames.
If you just want to hide your phone number from others,Telegram,Signal,Session, andThreemaoffer that option. This way, you don’t have to share your phone number to start chatting with someone—only a username is visible.
App Lock and Authenticator
App lock is a handy feature that keeps your messages safe from prying eyes. All major apps—WhatsApp,Telegram,Signal,Session, andThreema—offer native app lock features, except forGoogle Messages.
2FA adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access. However,Google MessagesandThreemado not support 2FA. That said, the absence of 2FA isn’t a major deal breaker compared to more critical privacy features like E2EE and username-based messaging systems.
Other Privacy Features
In addition to the essentials, privacy-focused apps likeSignal,Session, andThreemaoffer various other privacy tools, including:
WhileWhatsAppalso supportsauto-deleting messages,TelegramandGoogle Messagesfall short, offering none of these extra privacy features.
So, Which is the Best Private Messages App on Android
That’s a lot to take so let me simplify it for you.
We can easily remove Google Messages and Telegram from consideration, as they don’t offer basic privacy features like E2EE properly or by default.
WhatsApp might look like a good solution, however, its parent company Meta is not known for being privacy-friendly. Also, it collects a lot of meta data and its backup is not E2EE by default leaving room for improvement.
This leaves us with Signal, Session, and Threema. They all offer encryption, minimal metadata handling, and transparency of an open-source app. They also come with a variety of additional privacy features such as screenshot protection and app locks. But Session and Threema have certain trade-offs:
So, at the end,we will pick Signal as the best private messaging appas it offers all the needed privacy features. The app offers everything you need for privacy while being completely open-source and free, except for needing a phone number to get started. A nonprofit organization runs the app, receiving funding from donations and grants rather than trying to make money from users. But you may make Signal even more private by following the below tips:
Ravi Teja KNTS
Tech writer with over 4 years of experience at TechWiser, where he has authored more than 700 articles on AI, Google apps, Chrome OS, Discord, and Android. His journey started with a passion for discussing technology and helping others in online forums, which naturally grew into a career in tech journalism. Ravi’s writing focuses on simplifying technology, making it accessible and jargon-free for readers. When he’s not breaking down the latest tech, he’s often immersed in a classic film – a true cinephile at heart.
