The Best Tox AlternativesTop Instant Messengers & Video Calling Apps like Tox

Tox is described as 'With the rise of widespread government monitoring programs, Tox is an easy to use application that allows you to connect with friends and loved ones without anyone else listening in' and is a leading instant messenger in the social & communications category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Tox for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Android, Windows, Mac and iPhone apps. The best Tox alternative is Signal, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Tox are Element, Telegram, Discord and Jami.

filter to find the best alternatives

Tox alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers, but if you're looking for Encrypted Chat Apps or Group Chat Apps you can filter on that. 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 Tox.
Tox iconTox
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With the rise of widespread government monitoring programs, Tox is an easy to use application that allows you to connect with friends and loved ones without anyone else listening in.

More about Tox
More about Tox
Tox alternatives page was last updated Mar 21, 2024
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  1. Signal icon

    Signal

     1280 likes
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    An open-source messaging app emphasizing privacy with encrypted communication. Share texts, calls, photos, and videos without ads or trackers, available across major platforms. Developed by Signal Technology Foundation and praised globally for security measures.

    219 Signal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • Ubuntu
    • Debian
    Signal screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Encrypted Chat
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Video Calling
    5.  Self Destructing Messages
    6.  Private messaging
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Encrypted Connection
    9.  Mobile friendly
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Desktop Application
    12.  Secure Chat

    Signal VS Tox

     
    Comments about Signal as an Alternative to Tox
    Most Recent Comment
    WestFlame
    Positive Dec 20, 2016
    13

    Currently is intended mainly for mobile devices.

    chopin2712
    Positive Jul 14, 2019
    10

    I love signal but Signal cannot be used without phone and I don't like this idea. I use Signal only for my phone. not my computer but it's good!

    RemovedUser
    Positive Mar 21, 2024
    0

    Signal is not a legitimate alternative to Tox since it relies upon a connection to a server instead of being purely peer to peer.

    Tox Icon
    Signal icon

    • Most users think Signal is a great Tox alternative.

    • Signal is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to Tox.

    • Signal is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Tox.

    • Signal is Free and Open SourceTox is also Free and Open Source
    • Signal is Privacy focused and Security-focusedTox is not according to our users
  2. Element icon

    Element

     720 likes
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    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.

    301 Element alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Video calls for desktop and mobile

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Clean design

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Federated
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Encrypted Chat
    6.  Video Calling
    7.  Matrix Protocol
    8.  Voice Chat
    9.  Direct Messaging
    10.  Federation
    11.  Cross-Platform
    12.  Dark Mode

    Element VS Tox

     
    Comments about Element as an Alternative to Tox
    Most Recent Comment
    joshuahumbert
    Positive Jan 14, 2018
    5

    Decentralized messenger which supports audio and video calling as well as group chats and offline messaging.

    Guest
    Negative Jan 22, 2020
    5

    Riot.im uses Jitsi for conference video calls, which are not end-to-end encrypted, they can be registered by the Jitsi Videobridge.

    Guest
    Positive Aug 31, 2019
    4

    Riot runs on every platform including web browser, is end to end encrypted, federated, open source, supports media file sending, voice and video chat, and all features in group chats. It also does not require a phone number or email address to use.

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    3 of 4 comments
    Tox Icon
    Element icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Element is a great Tox alternative.

    • Element is the most popular Web-based, Android Tablet & Self-Hosted alternative to Tox.

    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceTox is Free and Open Source
    • Element is Privacy focusedTox is not according to our users
  4. Telegram icon

    Telegram

     2051 likes
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    Maximize your messaging experience with efficient communication, speedy delivery, and optional end-to-end encrypted Secret Chats. Engage in unlimited channels and groups up to 200,000 members. Enhance chat management and media sharing with Telegram Premium and its exclusive benefits. All core features remain free.

    294 Telegram alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Android Auto
    • Linux Mobile
    • Android Wear
    • PortableApps.com
    • FreeBSD
    • Apple Car Play
    Telegram Desktop

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Chat
    2.  Stickers
    3.  Chat Bot
    4.  Large File Transfer
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Video Calling
    8.  Multi Device Support
    9.  Channels
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Bots
    12.  Secret chats

    Telegram VS Tox

     
    Comments about Telegram as an Alternative to Tox
    Most Recent Comment
    alpeg
    Negative Jun 3, 2020
    7

    Tox is fully P2P and always end-to-end encrypted. Telegram is not open source (published source differs from play store app), uses it's own server, requires a phone number and non-desktop app to register, most chats are not e2e-encrypted, secret chats are not available on desktop and web.

    Guest
    Positive Feb 22, 2018
    11

    It's not open source and they've made some questionable decisions lately such as banning anything vaguely defined as "adult content" from appearing in searches.

    phred phuc
    Negative Jun 28, 2021
    0

    Telegram is not peer to peer and uses is not even federated aka uses centralized servers.

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    3 of 4 comments
    Tox Icon
    Telegram icon

    • Some users think Telegram is a great Tox alternative, some don't.

    • Telegram is Freemium and ProprietaryTox is Free and Open Source
    • Telegram is Lightweight and Privacy focusedTox is not according to our users
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  6. Discord icon

    Discord

     1076 likes
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    An integrated platform for text and voice communications. Offers tailored channels for different topics, customizable moderation tools, low latency for fluency, and managed user roles for optimal community facilitation.

    188 Discord alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Discord screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Gaming-focused

    Features

    1.  Screen Sharing
    2.  VoiP Calls
    3.  Video Calling
    4.  Multi Channel
    5.  Text chat
    6.  Bots
    7.  Voice Chat
    8.  Multiple Servers
    9.  Push to talk
    10.  Public groups chat
    11.  Custom Smileys
    12.  Text to Speech

    Discord VS Tox

     
    Comments about Discord as an Alternative to Tox
    Top Positive Comment
    RemovedUser
    Mar 21, 2024
    0

    Discord is proprietary and not peer to peer. It is not a valid alternative to Tox.

    Top Negative Comment
    crazypens30
    Oct 3, 2017
    50

    Discord isn't anonymity or privacy-oriented, whereas Tox is.

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive Oct 10, 2019
    0

    It's a consistent platform.

    Show more comments
    3 of 6 comments
    Tox Icon
    Discord icon

    • Some users think Discord is a great Tox alternative, some don't.

    • Discord is Freemium and ProprietaryTox is Free and Open Source
  7. Jami icon

    Jami

     231 likes
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    Jami (formerly GNU Ring, SFLphone) positions itself as a potential free Skype replacement

    159 Jami alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CA flagCanada

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Jami video conference OS X

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Video Conferencing
    4.  Peer-To-Peer
    5.  Video Calling
    6.  Multi Platform
    7.  Distributed
    8.  Encrypted Chat
    9.  End-to-End Encryption
    10.  SIP client
    11.  Screen Sharing
    12.  No Tracking

    Jami VS Tox

     
    Comments about Jami as an Alternative to Tox
    Most Recent Comment
    UsernameUn
    Positive Oct 12, 2020
    1

    Decentralized and encrypted. Available on all major devices. There is video conferencing and the ability to show a desktop.

    Guest
    Positive Apr 30, 2016
    2

    Its more decentralized than Tox is, and that is a great thing that it has over it. The only issue is that this is alpha software.

    RemovedUser
    Negative Mar 21, 2024
    0

    Jami is not peer to peer, therefore it is not a valid alternative to Tox.

    Tox Icon
    Jami icon

    • Most users think Jami is a great Tox alternative.

    • Jami is Free and Open SourceTox is also Free and Open Source
    • Jami is Privacy focusedTox is not according to our users
  8. Mumble icon

    Mumble

     472 likes
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    Mumble was the first and is the most successful and wide spread free and open source software for VoIP. It was the first VoIP software to provide low-latency audio suitable for gaming, and at the same time was a pioneer in high audio quality.

    50 Mumble alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPhone
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • PortableApps.com
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    Mumble 1.2.3 Release Candidate – some users in different channels

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Voice Chat
    2.  Group Voice Chat
    3.  In-Game Overlay
    4.  Self-Hostable decentralized P2P network
    5.  Positional audio
    6.  Low Latency
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Portable
    9.  Dedicated Server Hosting
    10.  Cross-Platform
    11.  3D voice
    12.  Channel manager

    Mumble VS Tox

     
    Comments about Mumble as an Alternative to Tox
    Darren de Lima
    Positive Oct 24, 2020
    0

    P2P messenger, very similar to Tox. Tox has a better UI, is less hassle to set up, and scales to the WWW more easily.

    RemovedUser
    Negative Mar 21, 2024
    0

    Not peer to peer like Tox.

    Tox Icon
    Mumble icon

    • Most users think Mumble is a great Tox alternative.

    • Mumble is Free and Open SourceTox is also Free and Open Source
    • Mumble is LightweightTox is not according to our users
  10. Wire icon

    Wire

     309 likes
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    Wire is the most secure collaboration platform featuring messenger, voice, video, conference calls, file-sharing, and external collaboration –all protected by the most secure end-to-end-encryption.

    280 Wire alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CH flagSwitzerland

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Wire screenshot 1
    Wire screenshot 2
    Wire screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Security-focused
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Video Calling
    3.  Encrypted Chat
    4.  VoiP Calls
    5.  Encrypted calls
    6.  Screen Sharing
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Secure File Sharing
    9.  Multiple Account support
    10.  WebRTC
    11.  Private Chat
    12.  File Sending

    Wire VS Tox

     

    • Almost everyone thinks Wire is a great Tox alternative.

    • Wire is the most popular SaaS alternative to Tox.

    • Wire is Free Personal and Open SourceTox is Free and Open Source
    • Wire is Security-focused and Privacy focusedTox is not according to our users
  11. SimpleX Chat icon

    SimpleX Chat

     75 likes
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    SimpleX - the most private and secure chat and applications platform - now with double ratchet E2E encryption! Built on Haskell with Love and Coffee.

    59 SimpleX Chat alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
    SimpleX Chat screenshot 1
    SimpleX Chat screenshot 2
    SimpleX Chat screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Chat
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Decentralized
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Multiple Account support
    7.  Self Destructing Messages
    8.  Video Calling
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Voice messages
    11.  VoiP Calls
    12.  No Tracking

    SimpleX Chat VS Tox

     
  12. Element X icon

    Element X

     29 likes
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    It is the brand new, and fastest ever, Matrix client. It is for personal and community use, and will support enterprise functionality later this year.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Element X screenshot 1
    Element X screenshot 2
    Element X screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Matrix Protocol
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  VoiP Calls
    4.  No Tracking
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Support for MarkDown
    8.  Decentralized
    9.  Support for @mentions
    10.  Cloud Sync
    11.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    12.  Voice Chat

    Element X VS Tox

     
9 of 213 Tox alternatives