Source: Joe Maring / Android Central
Messaging apps are a dime-a-dozen these days, but when it comes to the big leagues, three options stand out above the rest. WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal have all seen varying levels of success over the years. However, after the recent Facebook outage, which brought WhatsApp to its knees and caused millions to flock to Telegram — you may be wondering whether you should switch too.
WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal are all seen as some of the best Android messaging apps currently available, but depending on where your needs lie, one is likely a better fit over the rest. So today, we’re going to help you sift through everything and make the best decision possible.
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Whether you’re an existing WhatsApp user looking for a new home or are just getting started in the world of third-party messaging services, here’s everything you need to know about Telegram vs. Signal vs. WhatsApp.
Availability
Telegram
Telegram is available for all major platforms, including Android, iOS, PC, Mac, and even Linux. There are also Web and Chrome apps, meaning you can use Telegram just fine on a Chromebook, too.
One of the best things about Telegram is that there isn’t a limit on how many devices you can log into at once. So even if you have multiple phones and computers, you can log into your Telegram account on all of them and have it work without a hitch.
Signal
When it comes to availability, Signal is the weakest of the bunch. You can download the Signal app on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and PC. Notably, there are no apps for Web or Chrome.
You can log into your Signal account on multiple devices, though there is a limit of five device connections per account. Furthermore, you can only be logged in to Signal on one phone at a time.
WhatsApp is pretty similar to Signal on the availability front, though it does have a notable edge. The app is available for Android, iOS, PC, and Mac. There’s also a Web client that will appease Chrome OS users. And if you switch between iOS and Android, WhatsApp recently added the option to move your chat history across platforms.
Similar to Signal, WhatsApp has strict limits on device connections. Just four active devices are allowed per account, and when it comes to phones, WhatsApp can only be used one at a time. However, WhatsApp may add multi-phone support in an upcoming update so that you can access messages on both your personal and work phones.
Best availability: Telegram
If you use a lot of different gadgets and want to access your messages on all of them, Telegram is the clear winner. And even if you don’t, it’s just nice not having to worry about device limits the way you do with Signal and WhatsApp.
Message encryption
Telegram
All three apps offer encryption in one form or another, though the implementation differs for each. In Telegram’s case, all your regular messages (aka Cloud Chats) are encrypted using the client-server/server-client standard. This allows easy access to your conversations across all of your devices, though it’s not the same level of end-to-end encryption you get by default from other services.
End-to-end encryption is supported in Telegram, though you’ll need to be using the Secret Chats feature to use it. Secret Chats are not automatically backed up to Telegram’s servers by default. To enable the feature, you need to turn Secret Chats on individually for every contact. And, unfortunately, Secret Chats are not available for group chats.
Telegram has reassured that it’s “disclosed 0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments” for Cloud Chats stored in its servers, though if you’re especially concerned about messaging privacy, you’ll want to stick with Secret Chats.
Signal
All of your conversations in Signal are handled via end-to-end encryption, meaning Signal “can’t read your messages or listen to your calls, and no one else can either.” If you send or receive a message in Signal, no matter who it’s from, it’s end-to-end encrypted in this fashion.
This is the primary reason why Signal has much stricter device availability than Telegram does. Still, if privacy is of the utmost importance to you, you may be OK giving up that convenience as a result. Furthermore, group chats in Signal are end-to-end encrypted without a problem.
WhatsApp is almost identical to Signal in this regard, seeing as how all WhatsApp conversations are end-to-end encrypted by default. This means that only you and the person you’re messaging can see the contents of your discussion and that “nobody in between, not even WhatsApp” can see what you’re saying. Similar to Signal, end-to-end encryption carries over to group chats.
This default encryption was how WhatsApp justified its policy that you only log into one phone at a time. Now that WhatsApp is allegedly developing multi-phone support, we can only assume the company is doing so without affecting that end-to-end encryption — which isn’t an easy task. Generally speaking, WhatsApp gives that high-level encryption without you having to think twice about it.
One other encryption perk: WhatsApp now lets you back up your chat history to Google Drive with an encryption key only you can access.
Best encryption: Signal and WhatsApp
This one is a tie. Signal and WhatsApp both offer end-to-end encryption by default, making them considerably more secure than Telegram. However, while you can technically get end-to-end encryption in Telegram, the implementation isn’t nearly as seamless or functional.
Privacy and security
Telegram
Outside of the less secure encryption system offered by Telegram, you should also know how the company shares your data. Looking at Telegram’s privacy policy, the company states the following:
We may share your personal data with: (1) our parent company, Telegram Group Inc, located in the British Virgin Islands; and (2) Telegram FZ-LLC, a group member located in Dubai, to help provide, improve and support our Services. We will implement appropriate safeguards to protect the security and integrity of that personal data. This will take the form of standard contract clauses approved by the European Commission in an agreement between us and our relevant group companies.
Telegram also has the right to share your data with law enforcement authorities if it “receives a court order that confirms you’re a terror suspect.” Telegram says this has yet to happen for what it’s worth and will be fully transparent if it ever does.
Signal
Signal’s privacy policy notes that the company may share your information with third-parties, with the company offering a further explanation as follows:
For example, our Third-Party Providers send a verification code to your phone number when you register for our Services. These providers are bound by their Privacy Policies to safeguard that information. If you use other Third-Party Services like YouTube, Spotify, Giphy, etc., in connection with our Services, their Terms and Privacy Policies govern your use of those services.
Signal also outlines other instances in which your data may need to be shared. These include:
- To meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request.
- To enforce applicable Terms, including investigation of potential violations.
- To detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, or technical issues.
- To protect against harm to the rights, property, or safety of Signal, our users, or the public as required or permitted by law.
While WhatsApp gets security points from its end-to-end encryption, a recent policy change required all WhatsApp users must share the following data with Facebook — with the threat of losing access to their accounts if they didn’t:
- Profile name
- Profile picture
- IP address
- Phone number and contacts list
- App logs
- Status messages
Furthermore, WhatsApp noted that they would then share that information with “other Facebook Companies … to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services.”
The Indian government later asked WhatsApp to withdraw this policy, and it agreed not to limit accounts that refused to accept the new policy. Germany also chose to “opt out” and protect German users from agreeing to the information demand.
This “voluntary” disclosure aside, WhatsApp came under fire recently after a report claimed its messages weren’t actually end-to-end encrypted, because its employees regularly examine “millions of pieces of users’ content” and sometimes pass data along to law enforcement agencies.
Facebook responded that it only examines messages when people “report spam or abuse.” But this does mean that if someone you message reports you, Facebook will have access to the offending statements. It’s currently working on a system where you can report a single message instead of sending the five most recent by default.
WhatsApp was also fined $266 million for violating EU data privacy laws, though it is appealing the ruling.
All controversy aside, WhatsApp has begun to incorporate some useful privacy tools into its messaging options. For example, you can send “View Once” videos and images that disappear after the recipient sees it. And the company is reportedly testing different disappearing-message intervals, including one where your messages disappear after just 24 hours.
Best privacy & security: Signal
Better its tighter encryption, transparent privacy policy, and overall focus on user security, Signal is one of the best options out there if you want a secure messaging app that respects your data.
App interface
Telegram
Messaging apps tend to be some of our most-used applications, and as such, you want to make sure whichever service you choose has a functional and pleasing app to interact with. In the case of Telegram, that’s exactly what you get.
Your home page shows a list of all your ongoing conversations, and if you tap the search icon in the upper-right corner, you can easily look up chats, files, and contacts. All of your other settings are hidden in the hamburger menu, with this revealing a bunch of different options — ranging from starting a new group, viewing your call history, looking up saved messages, and more.
I think Telegram could benefit from a bottom navigation bar to more easily present some of these features. Still, after navigating through the app and seeing where everything is, it doesn’t take too long to get comfortable with it.
Signal
Signal has a very similar UI compared to Telegram, which is to say it’s very minimal and easy to navigate. Ongoing conversations are presented on your home screen, and if you need to look something up, there’s a search function at the top of the screen.
Tapping the three dots next to the search tool reveals the rest of your options, allowing you to start a new group, mark messages as read, invite friends, or dive into your settings. I prefer the presentation of Telegram, but both apps effectively show all of the same information at the end of the day.
WhatsApp’s interface also has a lot in common with Telegram and Signal, but it has the most going on with its home screens of the three apps.
The default page in WhatsApp shows all of your conversations, and if you need to do a quick search, you have the search feature at the top of the screen. Unlike Telegram and Signal, though, there’s more you can do without having to open a hamburger or overflow menu.
To the left of the Chats’ page is a shortcut for quickly taking a photo or video, and once you’ve captured something, you can either post it to your Status or send it directly to one of your contacts. You’ll also find two other pages to the right of your Chats, including dedicated pages for WhatsApp Status (aka stories) and your call history.
To access the settings, create a new group, and more, you just need to tap the three dots in the upper-right corner to view the overflow menu.
Best app interface: Tie
Considering that design is such a subjective topic, we’re going to call this one a tie. Telegram and Signal are both excellent picks if you want a messaging app with a super-clean interface, but for folks that would rather have something a bit more functional, WhatsApp may be a better fit.
Customization
Telegram
Telegram offers robust customization features for users to tinker with, making it a fantastic choice if you want to fine-tune your messaging experience to your exact liking. Taking a quick look at the Chat Settings page in the Telegram app, here’s just a small taste of what you can change:
- Message text size
- Color theme
- Message corners
- Auto-night mode
- Emoji…
