This is a great thing because more direct communication with one another means you get to talk to people in a much faster way rather than emailing and whatnot. Still, though the apps listed above are popular, they all have something in common: they can’t be trusted to safeguard your private information. It is because of this we’ve decided to make a top three list of the best encrypted Android messengers. Please understand that there are more than three encrypted messengers on Android. This list outlines the most compelling ones.
1. Telegram
Since encrypted messaging became a thing on everyone’s mind, Telegram has been the first app people mention. The developers themselves say that the telegram app is completely secure. They have a heavy focus on security, and they “make it their mission” to take security very seriously. There’s a lot to love about Telegram. For starters, mostly everyone has already heard of it, so you won’t have too much trouble finding people who are already using it. User population isn’t all, though; the features are killer, too. Telegram lets you create chat groups with up to 5,000 members, sync your data across its cloud platform, and has support for sharing various file types, emoticon support, sticker support, video support, audio support and more. If you’re looking for an encrypted chat client for Android, consider this app first.
2. Signal
Signal: an open source, encrypted, SMS-powered messaging client that takes your security seriously. Saying that Signal takes your security seriously isn’t a jab at the other programs on this list. However, it should be noted that it is the only fully open-source encrypted chat messenger. Signal developers even say that anyone can verify how secure it is by looking at the code themselves and that it uses open, peer-reviewed encryption protocols. This app is good and gets the job done. You’re able to send messages back and forth, and thanks to their service, you’ll be able to avoid any SMS or MMS fees. Going the SMS route is very smart, as it doesn’t require all of your friends to switch to contact you if they don’t want to. When it comes to features, everything is standard. You’ll get everything you’d want in a messenger: text, attachments, emoticon support, group support, etc. Nothing noteworthy stands out, but the technology and security protocols are the most important things here, not flashy features. A lot of the messengers on this list talk about how secure they are, but to find another app developer as direct as this about encryption and security, good luck. If you’re really looking for an app that you can trust, consider Signal.
3. Wickr Me
Though Wickr Me is not as well known as the others on this list, it is still worth a look. Like the others, you’ll be able to send text, images, stickers and messages in groups with end-to-end encryption technology. Overall a standard feature-set except for one major feature that stands out: the Shredder feature. This feature lets you “shred” all traces of your personal data from the app. The Wickr Team takes security very seriously – so serious, that they have a 100,000 bug bounty program. They don’t collect your personal information, and your ID is totally unknown to everyone but you and your Wickr network. This is good news, as privacy is the name of the game here. If you’ve tried Telegram and Signal and haven’t been impressed, give Wickr Me a go. It’s a solid app that will respect your privacy.
Conclusion
As instant messengers get more and more popular, our privacy has a greater chance of being violated. If sending quick messages to your family or friends is important to you, consider switching to one of the apps on the list and switching your contacts over as well. Sit them down and tell them why privacy should be important to them as well. I hope that this list will help with that conversation. What’s your encrypted messenger of choice on Android? Tell us in the comments below! Image Credit: Christiaan Colen
