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SimpleX Chat vs WhatsApp: catalog facts
SimpleX Chat	WhatsApp
Free Free and open source under the AGPL 3.0. The company is funded by investment and…	Free Free to use for personal messaging and calls.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Command line	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Web
No user identifier of any kind, so conversations cannot be correlated by account Double ratchet encryption with an additional layer for the relay servers	End-to-end encrypted messages and calls Available on phones, desktop and the web
Connecting means exchanging a link or QR code in person or elsewhere No contact list means a lost device is a lost set of conversations unless backed up	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: AGPL-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.