Alternatives to Delta Chat
A messenger that sends over email, so anyone with an address can be reached without installing it. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Delta Chat
A messenger that sends over email, so anyone with an address can be reached without installing it.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Delta Chat.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Signal encrypts every message and call by default and is run by a nonprofit, but requires a phone number and only reaches contacts who also use Signal.
SimpleX Chat
A messenger with no user identifiers at all, not even a random one, so there is no account to correlate.
SimpleX Chat avoids email metadata by using no identifiers at all, but both people must install it and connect via a link or QR code.
Conversations
Android XMPP client with OMEMO end-to-end encryption.
Conversations uses federated XMPP with OMEMO encryption on Android, so you still choose a server, but recipients need an XMPP account rather than email.
Session
An encrypted messenger with no phone number and no account, routed through an onion network.
Session needs no phone number or email and hides your address through onion routing, but both sides must install it and exchange IDs.
Threema
Swiss encrypted messenger that works without a phone number or email.
Threema uses a random ID without phone number or email and is Swiss-based, but requires a one-time purchase per platform and a Threema install on both ends.
Olvid
An end-to-end encrypted messenger that works without a phone number, email address or other personal data.
Olvid offers end-to-end encryption without a phone number or email and never reads the address book, but it is not open source and contacts must install it.
Wire
End-to-end encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing for organisations.
Wire provides encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing aimed at organisations with a self-hostable server, but requires an account tied to email or phone.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Element
The reference Matrix client: end-to-end encrypted chat on a network you can host yourself.
Thunderbird
Mozilla’s desktop mail client, with calendar, contacts and a unified inbox, funded by donations rather than ads.
Proton Mail
Official Proton Mail apps for reading and sending end-to-end encrypted email on phones, desktops and the web.
Disroot
Donation-funded platform offering free email, cloud storage, XMPP chat and other privacy-focused online services.
Riseup
An activist-run collective providing email, VPN, mailing lists and collaboration tools for social movements.
Missive
A collaborative email app for teams that combines shared inboxes, internal chat and task assignment.
