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Session vs WhatsApp: catalog facts
Session	WhatsApp
Free Free and open source under the GPL 3.0, run by the Session Technology Foundation.	Free Free to use for personal messaging and calls.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Web
No phone number or email needed; the account is a random ID Onion routing hides your address from recipients and from the network	End-to-end encrypted messages and calls Available on phones, desktop and the web
Losing your recovery phrase means losing the account with no reset Delivery can be slower than a centralised messenger	Proprietary and tied to a phone number account Relies on a central service run by the developer
Downloadable app	Downloadable app, Web application
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
No account needed	Account needed
Works offline	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.