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Signal vs Flare: catalog facts
Signal	Flare
Free Free; developed by a nonprofit funded by grants and donations	Free Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence.
Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux
End-to-end encryption on every message and call using the open source Signal Protocol No ads, affiliate marketers or tracking	Native Linux alternative to the official Signal desktop app Open source under the AGPL
Requires a phone number that can receive an SMS or phone call to register Desktop app requires Signal to be installed on a phone first	Unofficial and not supported by Signal Fewer features than the official Signal applications
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: AGPL-3.0	License: AGPL-3.0
Account needed	Account needed
Needs internet	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

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