Security is one of the core concerns that most people connected to the internet are worried about. With the advancement of digital communication methods, the risk of cyberattacks is heightened and one can never be too careful.
If you would like to have a secure personal messaging app, there are various aspects to consider. However, the encryption type should be your main concern when choosing a messaging app. To help you find the most secure app, here are the top 10 encrypted messaging apps that are easy to use.
Telegram
Telegram has been regarded to be one of the most reliable safe havens for secure mobile communication. The app gained much popularity after WhatsApp purportedly faced a cyberattack breach that left users feeling skeptical. You can use Telegram on most mobile devices as it is supported by all major operation software systems. This messaging app is secure and uses end-to-end encryption to transmit messages securely.
iMessage
iMessage is a secure messaging system that is exclusively available to Apple devices. The best part of this app is that you can sync iMessage to Mac from mobile devices such as iPhone and iPad. Users can accomplish this without risking crucial data or compromising the cybersecurity of iMessage. Overall, your messages and media will be encrypted between you and the recipient thereof.
Signal
Signal is flexible to the approach of ensuring messages are secure by allowing users to set their data retention policy. You can customize when messages are completely deleted from their servers. That is in addition to the end-to-end encryption used on the messaging platform. At the same time, video and audio calls are encrypted using the same technique.
Viber
Viber is one of the most advanced secure messaging apps with other features that are also encrypted for security purposes. The app boasts features such as end-to-end encryption for group messaging chats. At the same time, it encrypts video and audio calls as well. To take it to the next level, even group video and audio calls are encrypted, making Viber one of the most competitive apps in the market.
Silence
Silence has made their code open-source to continually improve the security they offer users. As this messaging app’s code is open-source, developers from around the world can collaborate on pointing out security deficiencies. The beauty of this app is that it also uses the primitive functionalities of SMS and MMS because you can send texts while offline.
WhatsApp faced a small PR saga regarding its security when it was claimed that this messaging app was hacked into. Although there is little information regarding this, WhatsApp has taken it upon itself to make users feel at ease. By clearly indicating that this messaging app uses end-to-end encryption, users are now convinced of the security aspect. All audio and video calls are also encrypted in addition to the messages and media shared.
Line
Line was developed in Japan after the earthquake and the only method of reliable communication was internet protocols. The free app calls its end-to-end encryption functionality “letter sealing” and helps secure communication between users. To use letter sealing, you have to manually ensure that it is on; otherwise, the communication is not encrypted. It has many fun features, such as shaking your device simultaneously with someone else to get their contact details.
Threema
Threema uses a different system to ensure that data is secure and messages do not get read by people it wasn’t intended for. Once the message has been delivered to the recipient, it no longer exists on the Threema server. It is completely deleted from the server and this simplifies their data retention policy since there is no information to store in the first place.
Wire
Wire has also made its code open-source for continual improvement and development. This app uses an end-to-end encryption system that does not require to be manually activated. Instead, it is activated by default and works in the background to ensure that users have a secure encrypted communication portal. Also, Wire does not sell user data to third parties.
Wikr
Wikr can be regarded as an off-the-grid solution that allows users to send texts, voice messages, and media completely anonymously. There is no customer data collected that could potentially be endangered in any way. For example, there is no sign-in information required, such as email addresses and passwords. Wikr does not even keep a log of IP addresses or any other metadata that could identify users.
Final thoughts
There is an abundance of secure messaging apps that you can use for personal social purposes. These apps use varying security mechanisms allowing you to choose the one most appealing to you. Others even let you customize the security of the app yourself by either activating end-to-end encryption or removing the data completely after a set timeframe.
