SimpleX Chat
SimpleX Chat lets users send end-to-end encrypted messages, make voice and video calls, and share files with contacts connected via private links or QR codes, with no account or identifier required.
The messenger that doesn’t know who you are — because it was built that way from the start.
SimpleX Chat is a free, open-source messaging app built on a fundamentally different approach to identity. While every other messaging platform — even the most private ones — assigns users some form of identifier, SimpleX assigns none. No phone number, no username, no email address, and no randomly generated ID is linked to a user's account.
Instead of user-based routing, SimpleX uses temporary, pairwise message queues for each connection. This means that no two conversations share any common metadata, making it structurally impossible for anyone — including SimpleX's own servers — to build a picture of who a user is talking to.
The app is available on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux, uses quantum-resistant end-to-end encryption, and is fully open-source. It has been independently audited by Trail of Bits and is backed by investors including Jack Dorsey. With over 2 million downloads, it is growing rapidly in privacy-conscious and security-focused communities worldwide.
Apps are frequently updated and may change over time. While we aim to keep our reviews accurate and up to date, some information may become outdated or no longer reflect the current version.
Disclaimer ▽ (click open)
How to Use
Setting up SimpleX Chat requires no registration. After downloading the app, users create a local profile with a display name — this name exists only on the device and is never sent to a server. From this point, the app is ready to use.
Connecting with someone is done by sharing a one-time invitation link or QR code. The recipient opens it, accepts the connection request, and a private encrypted channel is created between the two devices. There are no usernames to search and no directories to browse — every connection is initiated through a direct link. Optionally, users can create a SimpleX address, a reusable link that allows others to reach them without needing a one-time invite.
Once connected, the chat interface works like any standard messaging app. Text messages, voice notes, images, files, and video messages can all be sent. Disappearing messages can be set per conversation, and message reactions, replies, and editing are all supported. Voice and video calls are available from the contact view.
Multiple chat profiles can be created within a single installation, allowing complete separation between different contexts such as personal use, work, or a specific project. An incognito mode connects to new contacts using a fresh random profile, ensuring existing contacts cannot be linked to the new connection. Optional Tor routing via Orbot adds an additional layer of IP address protection for users who need it.
Strongest Points:
✓ No user identifier of any kind — not even a random number — making it structurally impossible to link conversations or build a contact graph
✓ Quantum-resistant end-to-end encryption applied to all messages, calls, and files using an open-source double-ratchet protocol
✓ No registration required — no phone number, email, or personal information of any kind is collected at any point
✓ Multiple chat profiles and incognito mode allow complete separation between different communication contexts within one app
✓ Fully open-source, independently audited by Trail of Bits, and self-hostable for users who want to run their own relay servers
Weaker Points:
✕ Adding contacts requires sharing a link or QR code every time, which is more friction than phone number or username-based discovery
✕ Push notifications can be intermittent on both iOS and Android, which means messages are occasionally delayed in arriving
✕ Voice and video calls, while functional, have been reported as less stable than those on more established platforms
✕ The interface is functional but noticeably less polished than mainstream messaging apps, and the learning curve is steeper than Signal or WhatsApp
✕ The user base is significantly smaller than other private messengers, which limits who can realistically be reached through the platform
How to Use
Setting up SimpleX Chat requires no registration. After downloading the app, users create a local profile with a display name — this name exists only on the device and is never sent to a server. From this point, the app is ready to use.
Connecting with someone is done by sharing a one-time invitation link or QR code. The recipient opens it, accepts the connection request, and a private encrypted channel is created between the two devices. There are no usernames to search and no directories to browse — every connection is initiated through a direct link. Optionally, users can create a SimpleX address, a reusable link that allows others to reach them without needing a one-time invite.
Once connected, the chat interface works like any standard messaging app. Text messages, voice notes, images, files, and video messages can all be sent. Disappearing messages can be set per conversation, and message reactions, replies, and editing are all supported. Voice and video calls are available from the contact view.
Multiple chat profiles can be created within a single installation, allowing complete separation between different contexts such as personal use, work, or a specific project. An incognito mode connects to new contacts using a fresh random profile, ensuring existing contacts cannot be linked to the new connection. Optional Tor routing via Orbot adds an additional layer of IP address protection for users who need it.
Strongest Points:
✓ No user identifier of any kind — not even a random number — making it structurally impossible to link conversations or build a contact graph
✓ Quantum-resistant end-to-end encryption applied to all messages, calls, and files using an open-source double-ratchet protocol
✓ No registration required — no phone number, email, or personal information of any kind is collected at any point
✓ Multiple chat profiles and incognito mode allow complete separation between different communication contexts within one app
✓ Fully open-source, independently audited by Trail of Bits, and self-hostable for users who want to run their own relay servers
Weaker Points:
✕ Adding contacts requires sharing a link or QR code every time, which is more friction than phone number or username-based discovery
✕ Push notifications can be intermittent on both iOS and Android, which means messages are occasionally delayed in arriving
✕ Voice and video calls, while functional, have been reported as less stable than those on more established platforms
✕ The interface is functional but noticeably less polished than mainstream messaging apps, and the learning curve is steeper than Signal or WhatsApp
✕ The user base is significantly smaller than other private messengers, which limits who can realistically be reached through the platform
Use it For:
🔏 Users who want the highest possible level of anonymity in messaging and are not satisfied with platforms that still require a phone number
📰 Journalists, activists, and researchers who need to communicate in ways that leave no traceable metadata connecting their conversations
💻 Technically capable users who want to self-host their relay infrastructure for full control over message routing
🔒 People in restrictive environments where messaging platforms are subject to government pressure to hand over user data or encryption keys
🧑💻 Privacy-focused individuals who want to separate different areas of their life — work, personal, and sensitive topics — across completely isolated chat profiles
App Usable on:
Phone
Tablet
PC
TV
Applications and Features
SimpleX Chat handles standard messaging with end-to-end encrypted text, voice notes, images, video messages, and file transfers, all using a quantum-resistant double-ratchet protocol. Messages can be edited, deleted for both parties, and set to disappear automatically. Reactions and reply threading are supported. Voice and video calls are available for one-to-one and group conversations, though call stability continues to improve with each update.
Secret groups are a distinctive feature: group existence and membership are not visible to anyone outside the group, including relay servers. Groups support admin controls, member moderation, private reporting to moderators, and mention notifications. Chats can be organised into custom lists for easier navigation.
Incognito mode is unique to SimpleX — it connects to a new contact using a freshly generated random profile, ensuring the new contact cannot be linked to any existing connections. Self-destruct passcodes wipe the app if a decoy code is entered, a feature designed for high-risk situations. Packet padding and message mixing at the relay server level prevent traffic analysis by ISPs or observers. Users who want full control can self-host their own relay servers and still communicate with users on default relays, a level of decentralisation few messaging apps can match.
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App Summary
SimpleX Chat sits at the far end of the privacy spectrum — further than Signal, Threema, or any other mainstream option. Its zero-identifier architecture means that not even the app's own servers can determine who is communicating with whom, which is a structural privacy guarantee that no other widely available messaging app can claim.
For users whose threat model requires this level of anonymity — journalists, activists, or anyone operating in high-risk environments — SimpleX delivers in ways that other apps simply cannot. The incognito mode, self-destruct passcode, and self-hosting capability add further layers that go well beyond what most privacy tools offer.
The trade-offs are real: contact discovery is more cumbersome, notifications can lag, and the interface requires more patience than polished commercial alternatives. SimpleX is a tool for users who prioritise privacy over convenience, and who are willing to invest a little more setup time to get there.
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SimpleX Chat is completely free with no subscription, no paid tiers, and no in-app purchases. The project is funded through donations and investment, including a $1.3 million pre-seed round led by Jack Dorsey in 2024.
Learning Difficulty:
The chat interface itself is straightforward once set up, but the link-based contact system and concepts like incognito mode, multiple profiles, and optional relay self-hosting require more understanding than a standard messaging app.
Required Skill Sets:
Educational Content:
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1/4
Questions & Answers: ⮛ (click to open)
How do you add contacts on SimpleX Chat if there are no usernames?
Contacts are added by sharing a private invitation link or QR code directly. The recipient opens the link, accepts the request, and a private encrypted connection is established. Optionally, a reusable SimpleX address can be created to make it easier for people to reach out without needing a one-time invite.
Is SimpleX Chat more private than Signal?
In terms of metadata protection, yes. Signal encrypts message content but still requires a phone number and retains some information about when accounts were created and last used. SimpleX has no user identifiers at all, so even if its servers were compromised, no connection between users could be established from the data held.
What is incognito mode in SimpleX Chat?
Incognito mode creates a new random profile specifically for connecting with a new contact. This means the new contact cannot be linked to any of the user’s existing connections, conversations, or profile. It is useful for situations where identity separation between different contacts is important.
Can SimpleX Chat be self-hosted?
Yes. SimpleX allows users to run their own relay servers using the open-source server software. Messages routed through a self-hosted relay only pass through infrastructure the user controls, and users on self-hosted servers can still communicate with those on default relays without any compatibility issues.
Good to Knows: ⮛ (click to open)
• SimpleX Chat was blocked by Russian authorities in 2024 and fined in 2025 for refusing to provide encryption keys to state authorities — a signal of how seriously its privacy architecture is taken by governments.
• All messages are deleted from relay servers as soon as they are delivered — SimpleX holds no message logs, content records, or connection histories on its infrastructure.
• The app supports optional Tor routing via Orbot, which hides the user’s IP address from relay servers for an additional layer of network anonymity.
Takeaways: ⮛ (click to open)
• SimpleX Chat is the only widely available messaging app that assigns users no identifier of any kind, making it a structurally distinct option for anyone who needs genuine anonymity rather than just encryption.
• Features like incognito mode, self-destruct passcodes, and self-hosted relay servers put it well beyond what most privacy tools offer, though they come with a steeper setup curve.
• It is still maturing as a product — notifications and calls have rough edges — but the pace of development is fast and the privacy foundations are already stronger than any competitor.
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