Best Secure Messaging Apps in 2026
Updated
In short: Olvid is ranked #1 of 36 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Wire and Telegram. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Wire. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Threema at $3/mo.
Secure messaging apps vary in the account setup, device access and message-history controls they offer. Compare account requirements, desktop apps and multi-device support alongside disappearing messages and encrypted backups. Maximum group size is another useful point to weigh if you expect to host larger conversations. Olvid, Wire and Telegram are among the apps covered. The entries also compare free-plan availability and paid-from pricing, so you can consider access and cost alongside the privacy-related controls and device support that matter to you.
36 secure messaging apps ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 Olvid Top pick · 8.1 Free plan · €82.50/mo
#2 Wire Runner-up · 7.7 Free plan · €7.45/mo
#3 Telegram Also great · 7.5 Free plan · Free
- Free planFree trial AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms€82.50/mofirst paid tier About OlvidVisit site - Free plan AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms€7.45/mofirst paid tier About WireVisit site - Free plan AndroidapiiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Account requirement
- phone
- Encrypted backups
- Yes
- Desktop apps
- Yes
- Maximum group size
- 200,000 members
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan AndroidapiiOSLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Account requirement
- phone
- Encrypted backups
- No
- Desktop apps
- Yes
- Maximum group size
- 250 members
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free trial AndroidapiiOSLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Account requirement
- none
- Encrypted backups
- Yes
- Desktop apps
- Yes
- Maximum group size
- 256 members
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms$3/mofirst paid tier About ThreemaVisit site - Free plan AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan AndroidiOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms$5/mofirst paid tier About ZangiVisit site - AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Desktop apps
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Account requirement
- none
- Desktop apps
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Desktop apps
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Android
- Free plan
- Yes
- Account requirement
- username
- Encrypted backups
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Desktop apps
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - macOSiOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Account requirement
- username
- Desktop apps
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindowsRecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which secure messaging app is ranked first on The Geeks Club?
Olvid is ranked #1 of 36 with a score of 8.1. Wire is second and Telegram third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Threema has the lowest first paid tier we found: $3/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on how quickly a newcomer can get going: documentation depth, a free tier or trial, and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.