Signal AlternativesOnly Self-Hosted apps categorised as Encrypted Chat Apps

Signal is not available as a self-hosted solution but there are plenty of alternatives for power users and business that want to host a solution on-premise. The best Self-Hosted Encrypted Chat App alternative is Element. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Element or Wire. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Signal and 12 are Encrypted Chat Apps available as a self-hosted solution so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Self-Hosted Encrypted Chat App alternatives to Signal are SimpleX Chat, Jitsi Meet, Zulip and Nextcloud Talk.

filter to find the best alternatives

Signal alternatives are mainly Encrypted Chat Apps, but if you're looking for Group Chat Apps or Instant Messengers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include EU, Blackberry, Encrypted Chat, Open Source, Self-Hosted, Apple Watch and Instant Messaging. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Signal.
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Alternatives list

  1. Element icon
     817 likes

    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    328 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
     
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    4
  2. Wire icon
     329 likes

    Secure communication platform featuring encrypted chats and calls, file and media sharing, self-deleting messages, device verification, group collaboration, and customizable settings. Supports use across multiple devices with no phone number required for access.

    290 Wire alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
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    2
  3. Matrix icon
     409 likes

    Open standard protocol enabling decentralized, encrypted instant messaging, VoIP signaling, IoT device connectivity, and persistent data management across federated servers without central control or single points of failure, bridging communication platforms.

    180 Matrix alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
     
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    4
  4. SimpleX Chat icon
     108 likes

    Open-source messaging platform enabling private, identifier-free chats, encrypted group discussions, file and media sharing, plus audio and video calls. Employs double-ratchet protocol, stores user data on-device, protects metadata, and lets users self-host relay servers.

    77 SimpleX Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
     
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    1
  5. Jitsi Meet icon
     293 likes

    Open-source video conferencing platform with encryption by default, up to 75 participants, live group chat, HD audio, screen and document sharing, Etherpad editing, mobile and browser support, custom deployment options, privacy-first features, and community-driven development.

    163 Jitsi Meet alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Apple Watch
    • F-Droid
     
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    2
  6. Zulip icon
     271 likes

    Threaded group conversations combine live and asynchronous messaging, separating topics for organized collaboration, supporting open-source, cloud, and self-hosted deployments, secure communication with encryption, and multi-platform access for diverse teams.

    235 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
     
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    1
  7. Nextcloud Talk icon
     33 likes

    Self-hosted communication platform with secure audio, video, chat, web conferencing, screensharing, advanced encryption, and metadata privacy, running on user-controlled servers, supporting web and mobile apps, and eliminating third-party data exposure.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Nextcloud
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
    • Chocolatey
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Homebrew
     
  8. Kontalk is a secure instant messenger, allowing you to send and receive text, image and voice messages (other file types coming soon) to and from other Kontalk users completely free of charge.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Self-Hosted
     
  9. ARKNet icon
     1 like

    A decentralized fault-tolerant platform for corporate interaction within companies and for private communication with clients.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Self-Hosted
     
  10. c0nnect icon
     1 like

    c0nnect messenger - the easy to use xmpp/jabber client with a bunch of unique features!

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Android Wear
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
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    1
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