Are you looking for a new messaging app? WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal are all popular apps that offer end-to-end encryption. But which one is the best option for you? We’ve done the research so you don’t have to! Read our article now to find out more about these three apps and how they compare in terms of features and privacy. You’ll be able to make an informed decision on which app is right for your needs.
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging application in the world, with more than two billion monthly active users. The secret sauce here is the telegram bot, which has a user base of 400 million. The message itself isn’t anything special; it’s just an encrypted signal that transmits messages via Telegram accounts (400 million) and Signal users (10-20 million monthly active users). WhatsApp is a global phenomenon, with almost 1 billion users. Telegram is catching up, and Signal has just joined the million downloads race from behind. However, numbers don’t tell the whole story, which is why we’ve compiled a comprehensive comparison between WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.
We thoroughly examine each service’s security models and features in this post.
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A rundown (2021)
We’ll look at these three instant messengers on a number of criteria, including security, functionality, and ownership. We’ll go through everything you get and lose by picking one of these messengers over the others, so you can make an informed decision about which app to use.
There’s also a table of contents at the beginning of each chapter, which you may use to quickly go to any subject you want to learn more about.
Security
I’ll start with security since it’s the most disputed and contentious issue in the three messaging services because it’s essential. So, let’s start with WhatsApp’s security model first in this conflict against Telegram and Signal.
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption is another thing that sets it apart from other messaging apps. Furthermore, E2E on WhatsApp is accessible to all versions of the app. WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption to safeguard all of your communications, video chats, voice chats, photographs, and any other content you share.
Because the messages you send to them are unreadable by anyone else, that implies that you and the recipient are the only ones who can read them. What’s more, WhatsApp does not have the ability to decrypt your messages, conversations, photos, or other data. As a result of this feature, you can enjoy complete security and privacy when communicating with individuals who use WhatsApp.
That said, it’s worth noting that WhatsApp employs the E2E protocol, which was created by Open Whisper Systems and is also used by Signal messenger. That’s wonderful, since the Signal protocol is open source, extensively peer-reviewed, and regarded as one of the best ways to put end-to-end encryption into messaging platforms.
It’s also worth noting that, despite the fact that all of your WhatsApp messages are encrypted via end-to-end encryption, backups (both cloud and local) aren’t protected. The end-to-end security model uses the connectionless-mode of transmission, which means that it does not encrypt the data used to pass messages between two endpoints. This is one of the major concerns about WhatsApp’s security system. Metadata, unlike encryption, does not prevent anyone from reading your communications. However, it reveals who and when you contacted someone and how long you did so.
However, that is only on the backend. What are the security measures used by WhatsApp on the user-facing side? You might be wondering how you can use your phone’s biometric sensor to secure your WhatsApp conversations. Both the Android and iOS versions of WhatsApp include a built-in app lock feature, so you may encrypt your WhatsApp chats with biometrics. What’s more, you’ll find that the app has support for two-factor authentication (2FA), which is handy for security.
Overall, WhatsApp does an excellent job of keeping its users safe. However, WhatsApp has had several major privacy concerns, particularly with group chats being indexed on Google search.
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However, that problem has been addressed, and it was not a good impression for the messaging software.
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Telegram
In terms of security, Telegram has some safeguards for its users. Although Telegram encrypts its messages and other data in a secure manner, there are numerous drawbacks to using the app. For one, while Telegram supports end-to-end encryption by default, it is not enabled. The only way to utilize E2E encryption on Telegram is through its secret chats feature.
Secret chats send messages that are E2E encrypted, which is good, but ordinary chats are not. Messages are encrypted on your device and then decrypted on Telegram’s server, which means that they’re secure. The transmission of the communications is encrypted on the server and sent to the recipient’s device for ultimate decrypting. As you can see, Telegram has encryption keys on the server and might, in theory, access your usual conversations.
What’s more, according to Telegram, it protects your message storage and decryption keys in a manner that one would need multiple legal systems from all across the world to access any of your data. The firm claims that, as of now, it has shared no data with third parties or governments.
Telegram, like all other popular messaging applications, transmits your messages through its own unique encryption system. This may be fine, but since it is a closed-source technology, hackers cannot verify it. As a result, security experts believe that using an open-source and widely accepted communication protocol such as Signal would have been preferable to utilizing a proprietary closed-source encryption system like Telegram.
On the user-facing side, Telegram, like WhatsApp, also has a built-in app lock. However, end-to-end encryption is incredibly scarce in the app. Because Secret Chats are only available for single-user communication, telegraph groups aren’t encrypted. Also, Telegram’s desktop application does not encrypt the entire message using end-to-end encryption on any other operating system.
Signal
When it comes to security, Signal is without a doubt the finest. On the backend or user-facing side of the service, it’s hard to top Signal.
Signal, like WhatsApp, uses the open-source Signal Protocol to encrypt data end-to-end. All communications on Signal use end-to-end encryption, including video calls.
Signal encrypts not only the content and conversations (which is enough for most users) but also the metadata, making it virtually unreadable to anyone other than you. The signal created a new method of communication between the sender and recipient, known as Sealed Sender, in order to safeguard user privacy from all sides. In a nutshell, with Sealed Sender, no one will be able to figure out who is messaging whom, not even Signal.
In addition, you get some amazing private features with Signal that will make your communication even more secure and private. To finish, you may use a passcode or biometrics to secure the Signal. There’s also 2FA, as well as the choice to disable screen captures within the program and the most recent screen. Signal recently introduced a new capability to automatically blur faces before sending pictures.
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That’s cool, right?
Not to mention that Signal encrypts all local files with a four-digit passphrase by default. If you do not wish to share your files with anybody, then you can encrypt them and store them locally. Group calls are now additionally available through the app.
There’s been a lot of fuss lately about Cellebrite breaking Signal’s security. The rumors might have been debunked, but we’ll get to that in a bit. As previously stated, we’ve also seen this same technique used by other sites and services as well (such as Reddit). However, Signal has since denied these reports and you can learn more about them here. The signal is by far the most secure and private messaging app of the three, with superior security and privacy features than WhatsApp or Telegram.
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Features
Moving on, let’s look at the features provided by these three applications and see which one provides the most to its users.
WhatsApp provides almost every feature you could want in most cases. You may have up to 256 people in a group chat. You may also send messages to a large number of people at the same time.
There’s also phone and video chat support, both for individuals and groups. However, you can only have up to eight individuals participating in a group video conference at once.
Aside from that, WhatsApp has a unique function that neither Telegram nor Signal provides. Yes, I’m referring to WhatsApp Status (also known as Stories) here. Users appreciate this function since it allows them to communicate with their close ones. In a nutshell, WhatsApp is more than just a messaging software.
You may upload all sorts of files on WhatsApp in the future, but there are file size restrictions to keep in mind. The size of a file can be up to 16 MB for photographs, videos, and audio files. However, files can be up to 100 MB in size. You may also share your real-time position with your contacts, and I’m certain many users will find this useful.
Because WhatsApp is aimed at the average consumer, it offers simple backup and recovery capabilities with cloud services like Google Drive and iCloud. The nice aspect is that cloud backup is entirely free. To top it all off, WhatsApp now has a dark mode option. You may also read our article on the finest WhatsApp tips and tricks for further information.
Telegram
Although WhatsApp provides most of the functions you require, Telegram is jam-packed with features. It’s incredible with all of the capabilities it provides. You can send and receive text, video, audio, and file messages. chats, group chats, and channels. However, unlike WhatsApp’s 256 member restriction, Telegram allows for groups with up to 200,000 members!
It also has several group-specific capabilities such as bots, polls, quizzes, hashtags, and other engaging features that can make group activities more enjoyable.
The application also has features that are not available in the Messages app, such as the function of a self-destructing message, which is ideal for sending messages that you don’t want to exist on the recipient’s phone forever. You also get assistance for modifying sent communications, as well as capabilities like message scheduling, sharing uncompressed media, themes, and more.
The Telegram messaging app also has a lot of control over how you receive notifications from the program. Organizing your files is a snap-on Telegram, thanks to the extensive tagging abilities. In addition, the file size limit for sharing materials on Telegram is 1.5 GB.
Until recently, Telegram did not allow for video chats. However, the program now supports voice and video calls on Android and iOS smartphones, which is fantastic since video call support was sorely missed from the app.
Signal
Signal’s features are not as robust as its rivals’ when compared to security, but it has a number of advantages over them. However, I don’t believe there is any major missing feature that would prevent you from using the app.
End-to-end encrypted messaging, voice, and video chats. All communications are end-to-end encrypted. You may also create groups, but you can’t send messages to many people at once. The signal is an app that encrypts your calls, making them so secure that they are almost impossible to eavesdrop on. Group calling has also been added in recent months, which was previously unavailable in the software.
You can also share photos that are one-time viewable, similar to Telegram’s self-destructing messages. For me, the most useful application is ‘Note to Self.’ To send notes to yourself, you don’t need to form a single-member group like WhatsApp. On Signal, the functionality is available natively, so you can write down your thoughts and opinions while chatting with your pals and relatives.
Signal has a number of other features that we’ll get to shortly, but it also allows you to transmit voice conversations to its servers, ensuring your identity is concealed from your contacts. As a result, you can get access to geo-restricted streams by simply sharing your personal details. The function is comparable to what a VPN does. You may also use Signal’s built-in option to conceal your IP address. Furthermore, you can use the advanced photo editor to hide faces and sensitive information from photos, as well as darken them.
There are a few emojis and some privacy stickers, but they pale in comparison to WhatsApp and Telegram. Overall, Signal has some of the most robust privacy protections, but it might not be enough for users who want a lot of customization options. From our article on the greatest Signal tips and techniques, you may discover more about Signal’s capabilities.
Ownership
Now we’ll look at the ownership of WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal in light of their security and features. It’s critical to understand how businesses are attempting to profit from user data since it enables you to make an informed choice.
WhatsApp is a Facebook product, and while the firm has been able to keep WhatsApp somewhat less invasive into your personal life than its eponymous social media platform for some time, that’s no longer the case.
The newest WhatsApp privacy policy is terrifying. As a result, the program will now share data with the Facebook family of apps to improve ad targeting. You can learn more about it in our blog post on WhatsApp’s new privacy policy.
Not only that but WhatsApp has been accused of violating encryption and providing government agencies with backdoors throughout its time under Facebook.
It’s also been said that WhatsApp advertisements will be coming soon. That gives Facebook even more incentive to make money from your WhatsApp data. Facebook can also correlate your WhatsApp usage to other sources of data like call and text logs. Even if you delete the app, Facebook can still track you. Facebook can even utilize this information to monitor your behavior because WhatsApp doesn’t encrypt metadata.
It’s a shame that this is Facebook we’re talking about, and I don’t feel the need to emphasize (or lack thereof) Facebook in safeguarding user data or providing any form of privacy safeguards. Since the Cambridge Analytica crisis, we’ve seen this happen over and over.
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Telegram
In 2013, Nikolai Durov and his younger brother, Pavel Durov, launched Telegram. The first is a well-known Russian film director, the second is an icon of Russian literature. They are both presently on self-imposed exiles in Russia. After Pavel Durov, the CEO of a Russian social-media site, refused to provide data on Ukrainian demonstrators to Russia’s security authorities, he was removed.
Aside from that, Pavel Durov has taken a principled stance against censorship and government intervention on a number of occasions. I believe that the past has played a significant role in shaping Telegram’s development. It does, after all, inspire trust.
However, the closed-source encryption mechanism and optional E2E support leave room for more openness and improvement.
Signal
Finally, Signal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that was created by cryptographers Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton. Moxie Marlinspike is one of Open Whisper Systems’ founders. He previously worked as the company’s CTO. After meeting Brian Acton in 2018, they formed the Signal Foundation’s new partnership. It has now entirely funded the development of Signal messenger. It’s worth noting that Brian Acton, WhatsApp’s co-founder, was also its first employee. However, he left the firm after Facebook acquired it for three years.
He serves as the communications lead for Signal today, overseeing both development and Moxie Marlinspike. Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower; Jack Dorsey, the Twitter CEO; and other high-profile individuals such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg praise Signal.
Signal also scored highly on the EFF’s Secure Messaging Scorecard, receiving top marks.
The signal is financed entirely by contributions and endowments if you’re wondering. Signal’s creators have created a unique opportunity for you to contribute to the project. In fact, you may also give money to assist in its continued development.
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In this WhatsApp vs. Telegram vs. Signal review, I’ll tell you whether it’s worth using one of these applications over the other.
After that entire debate, it’s apparent and obvious that Signal is highly secure and private. If you prioritize privacy, Signal is the best option for you. Whatsapp’s E2E encryption is quite strong. I am, however, having trouble recommending WhatsApp to others because of the new privacy policy.
On the other hand, Telegram chat is not always the most secure. It also provides a slew of features that would entice any group administrator. Telegram offers both group chats and one-to-one direct messages. You can also join Telegram groups for openings in the business sector, IT, or even sports recruiting. Group video calling is another favorite feature of many users. As for security features, Telegram does not disappoint. To make things more convenient, you may even use bot capabilities to set reminders
In conclusion, I propose utilizing Telegram if you want more features than your typical messenger. You may wish to look into Signal if you’re searching for a robust messaging and calling solution with all of the essential features. WhatsApp, on the other hand, is in a more tenuous situation than ever before due to its new policy update.
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