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Tox vs RetroShare: catalog facts
Tox	RetroShare
Free Free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no ads or paid features.	Free Free and open source with no hidden costs or ads.
Self-hosted	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
No central servers that can be shut down or asked to hand over data Encrypted text, voice, video, screen sharing and file transfers	Fully decentralized with no central server Chat, mail, forums, channels and file sharing in one app
Core library has not been independently audited for cryptography Security model is not yet fully specified	Useful only once you have friends on the network Releases are infrequent; the current version is 0.6.7a
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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