Messenger & Conferences

Messenger with encryption

2021-07-19

XMPP/Jabber

2021-07-06

The following apps support the XMPP protocol, originally known as Jabber. This is one of the oldest protocols in the instant-messaging world, but still very fresh and constantly being improved.

Snikket (4.7@12) Ǥ 28 1 Github; XMPP client forked from Conversations
Quicksy (4.4@103) Ǥ 28 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Vorstellung 11/2018; fork of Conversations using your phone number as ID
Conversations (Jabber / XMPP) (4.3@2,031; ~EUR 3.50) Ǥ 29 1 / Conversations Legacy (4.1@152) 15 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-10-13 / Share Location Plugin (4.5@91) Ǥ 7 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-12-28 / Voice Recorder Plugin (4.2@58) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-11-13 Github; XMPP/Jabber; PGP/OTR/OMEMO; Wikipedia DE | EN; Vorstellung & Schnelleinstieg 5/2016; Anleitung für Anfänger 7/2018; ausführliche Vorstellung 9/2020
Xabber (4.2@12,273) Ǥ 11 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2019-11-27 Github
blabber.im (4.2@205) Ǥ 29 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; fork of Conversations
aTalk (Jabber / XMPP) (3.8@84) 22 1 Github
monocles chat (0@0) Ǥ 29 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Codeberg
Conv6ations (0@0) 27 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ fork of Conversations

Matrix/riot/Element

2021-07-23

These are clients for the Matrix protocol. Don't mind the triple naming – it seems they like to rename the project a lot

Element - Secure Messenger (4.2@486) Ǥ 27 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
Riot.im - open team collaboration (3.8@1,291) Ǥ 28 3 Github; Kurzvorstellung 12/2016
Librem Chat (3.8@60) Ǥ 30 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ fork of Riot.im
Syphon (3.8@22) 7 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Matrix
SchildiChat (0@0) Ǥ 27 Github

Miscellaneous encrypted messenger

2021-07-25

ShazzleChat - Free Privacy Peer-to-Peer Messenger (4.8@3,247) Ǥ 15 4 Intro 5/2020
Wickr Me – Private Messenger (4.6@85,518) Ǥ 20 4 Wikipedia EN; end-to-end encryption with mission-impossible-flair (self-destructing messages)
Threema. Secure and private Messenger (4.6@67,349; ~EUR 4.00) Ǥ 26 2 / Threema Work. Secure Enterprise Messaging (4@1,211) Ǥ 29 1 / Threema QR Scanner Plugin (4.5@7,873) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-03-06 Github; Video Review 4/2016 (DE) | 3/2019 (DE); Video Backup & Restore (3/2019); Video Threema Webchat Howto 2/2017 (DE); Threema Video Tutorials; Test 4/2016; Vorstellung 8/2018 | 11/2018-1/2021; Wikipedia DE|EN; Audit 11/2015 | 3/2019; (Datenschutz-) Testbericht 2/2020 ; FAQ; messenger with end-to-end encryption
moin (4.6@7) 6 GitLab; based on IPFS
Delta Chat (4.5@2) 25 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / Delta Chat (4.1@541) 25 1 Github; ausführlicher Testbericht 7/2020 / Vorstellung 6/2019
Signal Private Messenger (4.4@1,685,866) Ǥ 53 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Vorstellung 11/2015 | 11/2015 | 11/2015 | 8/2018-1/2021 | 11/2015; Video-Vorstellung 1/2020; ausführlicher Test 12/2020; "Crypto-SMS" und verschlüsselte Telefonie (ehemals TextSecure + RedPhone)
surespot encrypted messenger (4.4@3,927) Ǥ 11 3 LastUpdate: 2019-04-30 Github; Vorstellung 2/2014; Wikipedia DE|EN; send encrypted messages. unlock voice messages per in-app payment. AES end-to-end encryption.
Telegram (4.3@8,317,267) Ǥ 43 2 Github; Testbericht 7/2016 | 3/2020; Meldung 4/2014; Vorstellung 5/2014 | 8/2018-1/2021; Security Analysis 5/2017; Video Erklärung 7/2019; Wikipedia DE|EN; encryption and self-destruct timer
Rocket.Chat (4.3@8,814) Ǥ 23 3 Github; chat with screen and file sharing, and more
Watomatic - Auto Reply for WhatsApp & Facebook (4.3@379) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Vorstellung 2/2021 | 3/2021; Intro 2/2021; leaving WhatsApp? Tell where you've gone to with this auto-responder!
VIPole Private Messenger (4.2@11,160) Ǥ 19 2 also available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS, paid subscription needed for end-to-end encryption
Session - Private Messenger (4.2@1,736) Ǥ 25 1 Github
Briar (4.2@1,205) 15 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / Briar Beta (Unreleased) (4.5@2) 9 LastUpdate: 2018-04-25 Video Intro 7/2017; Video Review 7/2018 | 9/2020; Vorstellung 9/2018 | 10/2019 | 4/2020; Wikipedia DE | EN; FreieMessenger; ausführliche Besprechung 11/2020 / Kurzvorstellung 2/2018; Source & Issues
whispeer Messenger (4.2@32) Ǥ 18 2 LastUpdate: 2018-08-01 Github; DerStart 8/2015; FU-Berlin 5/2017
Nekogram X (4.1@769) 38 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
aTox (4.1@21) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
TigerConnect - Clinical Solutions (3.9@5,231) Ǥ 30 5
Jami (3.9@1,189) Ǥ 19 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Wikipedia EN; FAQ; background 9/2015 (EN) | 9/2015 (DE); Vorstellung 5/2020; desktop clients for Linux, Mac, Windows
Nextcloud Talk (3.9@993) Ǥ 32 2 Github
Secure MMX Encrypted Messenger (3.9@28) Ǥ 14 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-11-20
Kontalk Messenger (3.7@618) Ǥ 33 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Vorstellung 8/2018
ginlo Private Messenger (3.7@436) Ǥ 25 3 / SIMSme – Your secure messenger (4@15,932) Ǥ 17 1 Vorstellung 9/2018-7/2020
Wire • Secure Messenger (3.6@34,076) Ǥ 16 1 Testberichte 4/2017 | 3/2020; Privacy-Warnung 7/2018; Vorstellung 8/2018 - 4/2020; free/gratis, encrypted communication: voice, video and group chats; cross platform: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows. Or in the web browser.
Hoop Messenger (3.6@4,899) Ǥ 34 4 Intro 4/2020
TRIfA (3.6@91) 14 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Tox client
Chiffry Secure Messenger (3.1@866) Ǥ 26 1
Dib2Qm (0@0) 8 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ GitLab; based on IMAP and QuickMSG (no centralized server)

Video and Audio Conferences

2021-07-20

Mumla - Mumble VoIP (4.5@171) 12 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ GitLab; audio calls/conferences; client for Mumble (Wikipedia DE | EN)
Skype - free IM & video calls (4.3@11,385,116) Ǥ 43 3 / Skype Lite - Free Video Call & Chat (4.3@35,298) Ǥ 40 6 Vorstellung 3/2018
Jami (3.9@1,189) Ǥ 19 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Wikipedia EN; FAQ; background 9/2015 (EN) | 9/2015 (DE); Vorstellung 5/2020; desktop clients for Linux, Mac, Windows
Nextcloud Talk (3.9@993) Ǥ 32 2 Github
Riot.im - open team collaboration (3.8@1,291) Ǥ 28 3 Github; Kurzvorstellung 12/2016
Wire • Secure Messenger (3.6@34,076) Ǥ 16 1 Testberichte 4/2017 | 3/2020; Privacy-Warnung 7/2018; Vorstellung 8/2018 - 4/2020; free/gratis, encrypted communication: voice, video and group chats; cross platform: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows. Or in the web browser.
Jitsi Meet (3.5@45,735) Ǥ 18 2 Github; Anleitung 3/2020; Video Kurzanleitung 3/2020; Vorstellung 4/2020

Further Readings:

Mike’s Empfehlungs-Ecke: Messenger
Mike’s Messenger-Matrix
Messenger-Matrix der Piratenpartei
Hinweise zu Anbietern von Videokonferenzdiensten (PDF des Berliner BfDI)
Messenger-Apps auf dem Smartphone – Digitaler Schutzschild Teil6 (6/2021)
Datenschutzfreundliche und sichere WhatsApp-Alternativen (5/2021)
Messenger: Unterschied zwischen Push und Polling (2/2021)
Messenger-Apps im Sicherheits-Check (1/2021)
Homeoffice? Beliebte Dienste und Geheimtipps für Video-Chat (4/2020)
Vorstellung verschiedener Messenger: Warum Signal Messenger eine super Alternative zu WhatsApp ist (3/2020)
Die verrückte Welt der Messenger: Teil1 (1/2020) | Teil2 (2/2020)
Verschlüsselte Messenger: Threema, Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp (11-2015 - 12/2020)
Wire, Hoccer, Kontalk (9/2017)