SimpleX Chat

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

Free to use

Our verdict

SimpleX Chat suits people who want the strongest metadata privacy and are willing to invite contacts one by one. Skip it if you need the simplest setup or want an app your contacts already use.

What it does well

No user identifiers at all: you connect via one-time links or QR codes.
Open source under AGPL-3.0, and anyone can run their own servers.
Independently audited by Trail of Bits in 2022 and 2024.
Apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, plus a terminal client.

Where it falls short

Far fewer people use it than mainstream apps: about 600,000 monthly users by the site's own count.
No phone-number or username sign-up, so every contact has to be added with a link or QR code.
Funding rests on users and communities; the team is currently running an equity crowdfunding round.

The SimpleX Chat website — The official SimpleX Chat website, 26 October 2026.

SimpleX Chat is a free messenger that works without any user identifiers. There are no phone numbers or usernames; you start chats by sharing a one-time link or QR code. Contacts and groups live on your device, messages are encrypted, and the network is a set of independent servers that anyone can run.

The apps are free and the code is open source under AGPL-3.0. The project says it has passed security audits by Trail of Bits in 2022 and 2024, and reports 3 million downloads and around 600,000 monthly users. Funding comes from users, and the site says larger channels and communities will pay for their servers.

You get apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, a terminal client, and a bot API. The catch is network size: your contacts are probably not on it yet, so expect to send invitations.

What users say

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Last updated 4 November 2026. Facts checked against the official site on 26 October 2026. How we make money