Messaging

Private messaging and calls with friends and family.

3 tools, ordered by our rating.

1. 1

   Session

   End-to-end encrypted messenger that needs no phone number and runs on a decentralised network.

   • Freemium
   • Open source
   Visit getsession.org (Session website, opens in a new tab)Read our take
2. 2

   Signal

   A free messaging app from a nonprofit for texts, voice and video calls, using the Signal Protocol for encryption.

   • Free
   • Open source
   Visit signal.org (Signal website, opens in a new tab)Read our take
3. 3

   SimpleX Chat

   Free open-source messenger with no user IDs, not even random ones.

   • Free
   • Open source
   Visit simplex.chat (SimpleX Chat website, opens in a new tab)Read our take

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vsSublime Text vs Notepad++Notepad++ is free and Windows-only; Sublime Text is paid but runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.Updated 17 October 2026