Alternatives to WhatsApp
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and calling app for phones, desktop computers and the web. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
WhatsApp
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and calling app for phones, desktop computers and the web.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as WhatsApp.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Signal is open source under AGPL-3.0 and run by a nonprofit with no ads or tracking, still needing a phone number, while fewer contacts may use it.
Telegram Desktop
The official Telegram client for the desktop, with open source code and chats that are not end-to-end encrypted.
Telegram offers open source clients, cloud sync, large groups and bots, but ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted and the server is closed source.
Threema
Swiss encrypted messenger that works without a phone number or email.
Threema needs no phone number or email and has open source apps from a Swiss company, but requires a one-time purchase per platform.
Wire
End-to-end encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing for organisations.
Wire provides open source, end-to-end encrypted messaging and calls with a self-hostable server, focused on paid business plans with a limited free tier.
Session
An encrypted messenger with no phone number and no account, routed through an onion network.
Session drops the phone number for a random ID and routes messages through an onion network, though delivery is slower and contacts must exchange IDs.
SimpleX Chat
A messenger with no user identifiers at all, not even a random one, so there is no account to correlate.
SimpleX Chat uses no user identifiers at all and lets you choose or self-host relay servers, but contacts connect by sharing a link or QR code.
Molly
A security-hardened fork of Signal for Android with an encrypted local database and Tor support.
Molly is an Android-only hardened Signal fork with an encrypted local database and Google-free notifications, compatible with Signal contacts rather than WhatsApp ones.
Olvid
An end-to-end encrypted messenger that works without a phone number, email address or other personal data.
Olvid needs no phone number or address book access and offers end-to-end encryption on all major platforms, but contacts must install Olvid too.
Also worth comparing
These listings name WhatsApp as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Snapchat
A messaging app built around photo and video Snaps, chat, Stories and camera Lenses.
WhatsApp focuses on end-to-end encrypted messaging and calls rather than Snaps, Lenses and feeds, and adds desktop apps, but still needs a phone number account.
Zalo
A Vietnamese messaging and calling app for phones and desktop computers, used by tens of millions.
WhatsApp adds end-to-end encrypted messages and calls and a web client, and is widely used internationally, though it is still proprietary and tied to a phone number.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
mautrix-whatsapp
A puppeting bridge that connects WhatsApp chats to a Matrix homeserver.
Beeper
A unified chat app that brings WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord and other networks into one inbox.
Viber
A messaging and calling app with group chats, stickers and public communities, synced across devices.
LINE
A popular messaging app with free text messages, voice and video calls, and stickers.
Messenger
Meta's messaging and video calling service for chatting with Facebook friends and family.
Element
The reference Matrix client: end-to-end encrypted chat on a network you can host yourself.
