Alternatives to Keybase
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and file-sharing app for individuals, teams, families and groups. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Keybase
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and file-sharing app for individuals, teams, families and groups.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Keybase.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Signal is an open-source encrypted messenger run by a nonprofit with calls and file sharing, but it requires a phone number and lacks Keybase's shared file storage.
Wire
End-to-end encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing for organisations.
Wire offers encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing with open-source clients and a self-hostable server, focused on paid business plans for organisations.
Element
The reference Matrix client: end-to-end encrypted chat on a network you can host yourself.
Element provides open-source encrypted group chat on the federated Matrix network, letting you run your own server, though key management can confuse new users.
Threema
Swiss encrypted messenger that works without a phone number or email.
Threema is a Swiss encrypted messenger with open-source apps and random IDs instead of phone numbers, but requires a one-time purchase per platform.
Session
An encrypted messenger with no phone number and no account, routed through an onion network.
Session is an open-source messenger with random IDs and onion routing, avoiding linked public identities, but losing your recovery phrase means losing the account.
Olvid
An end-to-end encrypted messenger that works without a phone number, email address or other personal data.
Olvid is an encrypted messenger needing no phone number or email, with file sharing without size limits, and contacts must also install Olvid.
SimpleX Chat
A messenger with no user identifiers at all, not even a random one, so there is no account to correlate.
SimpleX Chat is open source with no user identifier of any kind and self-hostable relay servers, but you connect by exchanging links or QR codes.
Keet
A peer-to-peer chat app for encrypted messages, audio and video calls, and file transfers.
Keet sends encrypted messages, calls and files directly between peers without a phone number or email, but depends on keeping a 24-word seed phrase.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
RetroShare
A decentralized, encrypted friend-to-friend network for chat, mail, forums, channels and file sharing.
Proton Mail
Official Proton Mail apps for reading and sending end-to-end encrypted email on phones, desktops and the web.
Delta Chat
A messenger that sends over email, so anyone with an address can be reached without installing it.
Telegram Desktop
The official Telegram client for the desktop, with open source code and chats that are not end-to-end encrypted.
