In development. RVNT is pre-release — not yet security-audited. Source code, public builds, and the iOS / App Store release aren’t available yet. See the roadmap →

Alternatives

Best SimpleX Chat alternatives

The first messaging network with no user identifiers of any kind — not even random numbers — using disposable message queues instead of accounts. Here are the more private options, ranked honestly — with the tradeoffs named.

Why people leave SimpleX Chat

  • Small network, fewer relays. SimpleX's privacy-first design (no accounts, disposable queues) means a smaller user base and a thinner relay network than mainstream apps, so message delivery and reach can vary and there are far fewer contacts to message. (Freedom.Tech — SimpleX Chat review)
  • Group chats don't scale well. Because every group member connects through the same peer-to-relay fabric rather than a central server, large groups carry heavy overhead and aren't recommended as a replacement for big Matrix/Telegram-style communities. (SimpleX platform docs)
  • No full implementation audit yet. Trail of Bits reviewed the cryptographic design (2022 and again in July 2024, finding 3 medium / 1 low issues), but a comprehensive implementation security assessment of the app and mobile key handling was still pending — so the running code is less battle-tested than the design. (SimpleX blog — Trail of Bits design review (Oct 2024))
  • Steeper setup and fewer mainstream features. The no-identifier model means a more complex onboarding (sharing one-time links/QR codes) and fewer of the conveniences people expect from larger platforms. (Freedom.Tech — SimpleX Chat review)

The alternatives, ranked

  1. 1 Session No-phone-number, onion-routed anonymity

    Like SimpleX it drops phone numbers and hides your IP and metadata by default, but it's even simpler to onboard — with the caveat that its currently-shipping protocol still lacks forward secrecy.

    Compare with RVNT →
  2. 2 Signal Maximum maturity and audited, post-quantum crypto

    The gold-standard E2EE messenger — open-source, independently studied, post-quantum, and run by a nonprofit proven in court to hold almost no data — though it ties your account to a phone number and runs on central servers.

    Compare with RVNT →
  3. 3 RVNT P2P, no-identifier, post-quantum by default

    Shares SimpleX's no-phone-number, metadata-minimizing philosophy and goes further with peer-to-peer delivery, hybrid post-quantum crypto on by default, and Tor-by-default routing — but it's young, unaudited, and far less proven than SimpleX.

    Get RVNT →
  4. 4 Threema Polished, audited, no-phone-number with support

    A paid Swiss app that, like SimpleX, needs no phone number and is independently audited and open-source, trading SimpleX's relay-network privacy model for the reliability of central servers and a smoother experience.

    Compare with RVNT →
  5. 5 Briar Offline-first, peer-to-peer activist messaging

    An open-source, Tor-routed messenger that syncs directly device-to-device (even over Bluetooth/Wi-Fi when the internet is down), appealing for the same threat models as SimpleX but Android-only and even more niche.

Switching from SimpleX Chat: what to expect

Leaving SimpleX, you keep the most important thing — strong, modern end-to-end encryption — on every alternative here, and on Session, RVNT, and Threema you also keep the no-phone-number property that likely drew you to SimpleX in the first place. What you give up depends on where you go. Moving to Signal or WhatsApp means accepting a phone number and central servers in exchange for a vastly larger, more reliable network and a long audit history. Moving to Session keeps the anonymity but currently means living without forward secrecy. Only RVNT matches SimpleX's "no identifiers, metadata-minimizing" ambition while adding peer-to-peer delivery and post-quantum-by-default crypto — but it's pre-release and unaudited, so it trades SimpleX's relative maturity for newer ideas. In every case, SimpleX's disposable-queue model has no account to export: there's no automatic message history migration, so expect to re-establish contacts and start fresh conversations on the new app.

Frequently asked questions

Is SimpleX actually less secure than Signal or Threema?

Not by design — SimpleX uses the post-quantum-augmented Double Ratchet and pioneered a no-identifier architecture that arguably leaks less metadata. The honest gap is maturity and vetting: Trail of Bits reviewed SimpleX's cryptographic *design* (2022 and 2024) but a full *implementation* audit of the app was still pending, whereas Signal and Threema have years of independent scrutiny and far larger user bases stress-testing the code.

Why would I leave SimpleX if it's the most private option?

Usually for practical reasons rather than security ones: a small network with few contacts to reach, heavy overhead in large groups, variable message delivery across its relay network, and a steeper setup than mainstream apps. If those frictions matter more to you than maximal metadata privacy, a more established app may serve you better — and RVNT aims to keep the no-identifier privacy while improving reliability, at the cost of being far younger.