The ultimate list of 18 most secure messaging apps

The most secure messaging apps are becoming a priority for more and more companies. They want to enable both best communication experience to their employees and ensure the highest level of security.

Why? Because organizations know how beneficial team collaboration is. At the same time, they know that their reputation and business success depend on keeping their customers and internal data private.

However, due to the world of work moving towards digital workplaces and hybrid work environments, the possibility of security breaches intensifies. In 2020, one in five companies experienced a security breach as a result of remote workers. Moreover, we've seen popular solutions being banned from use due to non-compliance with law-abiding data security regulations.

The solution? User-friendly, but also highly secure messaging apps. Long gone are the days of emails and clunky collaboration software: employees expect a seamless communication experience and utmost privacy of their conversations at the same time.

📘 Read on to find out what are the most secure chat apps on the market. We’ve divided the list into four categories for easier navigation. Before you continue, make sure to get our guide to team collaboration in hybrid work environments.

Key features of secure group chat apps

Here are some of the features you should be looking for in your next messaging app if you want maximum security:

• End-to-end encryption: encryption is a standard measure to protect messages and data that get exchanged through a messaging app.
• Multi-factor authentication: adding 2+ steps to authenticate user makes any misuse by a third party less possible
• Security certificates: standardized certificates like ISO27001 signal that an app is deemed secure by external experts‍
• Regulatory compliance: data privacy regulations like GDPR or HIPAA require organizations to handle their data in a specific way. Your messaging app needs to be able to uphold regional and industry data privacy regulations
• Self-deployment: deploying a group chat on premise or in a secure cloud means that you get to control where your data gets stored.

Top 5 most secure encrypted messaging apps for enterprises

Enterprise companies require software that is extremely secure due to their dynamic and highly distributed environments. Moreover, enterprise companies deal with large clients and succumb to very strict security protocols and regulations. That's why most of them also implement extremely secure collaboration tools.

The hybrid work model has changed everything about how we communicate with our teams and our customers. As more communication has shifted to digital channels from office hallways, conference rooms and telephone calls, the security and compliance burdens on organizations have also grown.

Christopher Skelly, VP of Product @Rocket.Chat

Therefore, messaging apps’ security is on top of the priority list for enterprises when looking for team collaboration solutions. Here are some of the most secure messaging apps for enterprises.

1. Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat is one of the most secure collaboration apps for enterprises. Besides adhering to highest security standards, it is compliant with HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA. Moreover, this communication platform is highly customizable and supports multiple integrations.

Rocket.Chat is encrypted and can be deployed anywhere. Organizations in highly-regulated industries such as Government and Healthcare choose it due to its advanced data sovereignty features.

If that’s not enough, one of the most important cybersecurity firms in the USA uses Rocket.Chat as their collaboration platform.

Available on: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web

Security features

• ISO 27001 certified
• Open-source code
• End-to-end encryption
• On-premise hosting
• Configurable to meet specific industry regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, and more

2. NetSfere

NetSfere offers multiple layers of data protection and boasts itself with industry leading end-to-end encryption. Moreover, it allows IT administrators to manage all aspects of communication with a powerful control panel.

Most importantly, NetSfere adheres to multiple global and privacy requirements, like GDPR, HIPAA, FINRA, SOX, and DFA, which makes it one of the most secure messaging apps for industries such as financial services, travel & hospitality, and insurance & risk management.

Available on: Android, iOS, macOS, Web

Security features

• End-to-end 256-bit AES encryption with elliptic curve key exchange algorithms
• 2-Factor Authentication
• ISO 27001 certified
• Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
• Dodd-Frank compliance

3. Messagenius

Messagenius offers an instant messaging solution while enabling complete security and exclusive data ownership. One of the most interesting features it offers is the self-destructing messages which leave no trace of their existence.

Furthermore, Messagenius focuses on serving companies with on-field workforce and pride themselves with productivity-boosting features.

Available on: Android, iOS, macOS, Web

Security features

• On-premise hosting
• GDPR compliance
• Private encryption keys
• Tracked and indelible black box chats
• Self-destructing messages
• Fully encrypted
• LDAP

4. TeleMessage

TeleMessage is an enterprise-grade text messaging solution. It offers not only secure communication between team members, but also with customers. TeleMessage provides tools to deliver multi-channel bulk messaging across SMS, MMS, faxes, email, mobile apps, and voice calls.

The company itself has a long tradition for a messaging app, since it was founded in 1999, and it collaborates with Microsoft on protecting data coming from other Microsoft services. If you're looking to double down on organizational security, deploying TeleMessage is a good way to do it.

Available on: Android, iOS, Web, Outlook

Security features

• End-to-end encryption
• Self-destructing messages
• Remote data lock & wipe
• HIPAA & SOX compliant

5. Brosix

As one of the most secure messaging apps for enterprises, Brosix prouds itself with adhering to  highest security standards. Besides security, their features include powerful administration and control, customizable branding, real-time communication, and other teamwork features like screen sharing and whiteboard.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web

Security features

• End-to-end encrypted
• Virus and malware checking tool
• HIPAA compliant
• Private team network

Most secure consumer chat apps

Most secure chat apps is a frequently googled term. Not only companies, but everyday people are becoming more aware of how some popular messaging apps use and sell their data.

📘 Watch our webinar and discover five ways messaging apps are exposing your conversations.

Here are some of the most secure messaging apps in the consumer world (meaning, for private and not business uses).

1. Signal

Signal could be the most popular app of all the most secure messaging apps out there. It really does offer its users the highest level of privacy and security – for free.

One of Singal’s most famous advocates is Edward Snowden, which speaks enough of its security. Moreover, it is a cross-platform messaging app, and doesn’t hold the key to decrypt messages of its users.

The most convincing fact regarding Signal is that it’s financed through donations and grants, making it advertisement and tracking-free from the get-go.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Web

Security features

• Open-source
• Self-destructing messages
• End-to-end encryption (even of the stickers)
• View-once media
• Incognito keyboard
• Preventing other conversation participants from taking screenshots

2. Telegram

Telegram openly says that they are more secure than other mass market messaging apps like WhatsApp, and they base it on the MTProtocol. Telegram supports two layers of secure encryption – server-client encryption and client-client encryption.

Telegram also says they are not a profit driven organization, so they aren’t interested in selling user data. Moreover, they have a continuously open competition and offer $300,000 to anyone that can decipher Telegram messages.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Web

Security features

• Lock Chats
• Secret Chats
• Self-destructing media
• 2-step verification
• Proxy servers
• Deleting sender’s messages
• 2-layer encryption

3. Discord

Discord puts strong emphasis on privacy and security of their conversations. They don’t sell data nor share it with third parties for advertising purposes. Additionally, Discord offers several control systems to parents whose children use it.

Besides offering messaging services, this security-oriented messaging app allows users to talk to larger communities. However, Discord claims it does not use algorithms to cater to its audiences’ interests – and that the conversations are driven purely by the people and topics users pick.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Linux, Web

Security features

• 2-factor authentication
• Client-server architecture
• IP location lock
• Virus scanning

4. Dust

Branding itself as one of the most secure messaging apps, Dust offers a high level of data privacy and security. For example, it doesn’t store anything on its servers, and receivers of messages cannot save them (or media you send) in any way.

Moreover, once read, all content is deleted after 100 seconds – or 24 hours if left unread. Although Dust’s focus on safe texting puts them high on the list of most secure messaging apps, many say it lacks some basic features. Video calls, voice messages, and large file upload are not supported by Dust.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Security features

• Encrypted messaging
• Private web search
• Permanent message deleting (leaving no trace)

5. Threema

As one of the most secure messaging apps, Threema doesn’t require any personally identifiable information like phone number or email address. Simple QR code scanning is enough to get you going.

It is predominantly present in the German-speaking market, and it does not collect any user data nor display ads. It is also a Swiss product, and offers both enterprise and consumer solutions.

Threema is regularly audited by external experts and is constantly named one of the most secure messaging apps on the market.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Web

Security features

• End-to-end encryption using NaCl library
• Metadata restraint
• Open-sourced
• On-premise hosting possibility
• Decentralized architecture
• Anonymous use

6. Line

Line is a hugely popular secure messaging app in Japan. Interestingly, it was developed in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake when telecommunications infrastructure was damaged, and internet-based communication remained the only solution to reach people in endangered areas.

Line has more than 700 million users, andt it offers a “letter sealing” feature which is end-to-end encryption at its core. Moreover, this innovative and secure messaging application has several modules: Line News, a content curation service; Line Healthcare, an online medical consultation app; and Line Pay, an online wallet.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Web

Security features

• End-to-end encryption
• ISO 27001 certification
• SOC2 & SOC3 certified
• PCI DSS Level 1 certified

Top 6 open source secure messaging apps

Open-source code is a staple for many of the most secure messaging apps. Why? Because since everyone can inspect the code, everybody can contribute to its safety. Developer communities are very active in finding and flagging vulnerabilities of open-coded apps, which makes them less likely to experience security breaches.

Moreover, open-source code is becoming industry standard, which is why many companies that used closed-sourced Slack are now looking for Slack open source alternatives.

Here are the most secure messaging apps whose code is open-sourced!

1. Wire

Many professionals say that one of the Wire’s biggest advantages regarding security is the fact that it is based in Switzerland, which is famous for its secure online service regulations.

As it is open-sourced, the GitHub community regularly audits its code, making it one of the most secure messaging apps in that area. Moreover, it could be used as a personal messaging app as well as company communication.

Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web

Security features

• Open-source
• End-to-end encryption
• Doesn’t sell data nor metadata
• Registering with email address only
• GDPR compliant

2. Threema

As previously mentioned, Threema is a very popular security-oriented app in the German-speaking area. It didn’t start as open-source, but switched to it in December 2020, as the open-source feature offers unmatched transparency.

Moreover, Threema users can check if the published code corresponds to the actual app they download. This feature is available for Android users only (for the time being, as they say in Threema).

3. Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat’s GitHub community includes more than 30k members that continuously review its code and propose improvements. More than that – Rocket.Chat is the only open-sourced messaging app that operates under MIT license. The license grants users to use the code completely freely and incorporate it in their products without exposing their proprietary code.

As one of the most secure collaboration tools on the market, Rocket.Chat continuously puts emphasis on security and data protection, all while maintaining high flexibility of the platform for its clients.