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Telegram alternatives in 2026: private messengers, compared plainly.
Telegram is a cloud messenger. By its own FAQ, regular chats and groups are encrypted between your phone and its servers, and only Secret Chats, which you start yourself, are end-to-end encrypted. If you want end-to-end encryption by default, these messengers offer it. Facts checked on each company's own pages in November 2026.
Telegram, from its own pages
| What Telegram says | |
|---|---|
| Regular chats and groups | Encrypted between you and Telegram's servers, not end to end |
| Secret Chats | End to end, one-to-one only, started by you, tied to one device. Not on Telegram Desktop or Web |
| Group calls | End-to-end encrypted since April 2025 |
| Sign-up | A phone number, or an anonymous number bought on Fragment |
| Code | The apps are open source. The server code is not published |
| Company | Development team in Dubai. Group companies in the British Virgin Islands and Dubai |
The alternatives
| App | Who runs it | End to end by default | Phone number to sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal | Signal Messenger LLC, United States | Yes, all messages | Yes |
| Threema | Threema AG, Switzerland | Yes | No |
| Olvid | OLVID SAS, France | Yes | No, and no email either |
| Wire | Wire, Germany and Switzerland | Yes, always on | No |
| Element | Element Creations Ltd, United Kingdom | Direct messages and invitation-only rooms | No |
| SimpleX Chat | SimpleX Chat Ltd, United Kingdom | Yes | No, it has no user identifiers at all |
How to pick
- Without a phone number. Threema, Olvid, Wire, Element and SimpleX Chat sign you up without one.
- Made in Europe. Threema (Switzerland), Olvid (France), Wire (Germany and Switzerland), Element and SimpleX Chat (United Kingdom).
- Free or paid. Signal, Olvid, Element, Wire and SimpleX Chat are free for personal use. Threema is a one-time purchase.
Where Rawly fits
- Not a Telegram replacement. Rawly has no channels and no bots. It is a photo and video game you play with friends.
- Private chats with the people you play with. Direct messages and group chats on Rawly are end-to-end encrypted by default, built on X3DH and the Double Ratchet. See how it works, and where it stops.
- No phone number. Sign up with an email address, or with Apple or Google.
Facts about the apps above come from their own pages as of November 2026 and may change. Telegram, Signal, Threema, Olvid, Wire, Element and SimpleX are trademarks of their owners; Rawly is not affiliated with any of them.
Questions
Is Telegram end-to-end encrypted?
Not by default. According to Telegram's FAQ, regular chats and groups use server-client encryption, and only Secret Chats, one-to-one chats you start yourself, are end-to-end encrypted.
Which Telegram alternatives are end-to-end encrypted by default?
Signal, Threema, Olvid, Wire and SimpleX Chat encrypt chats end to end by default. Element does it for direct messages and invitation-only rooms.
Is there a European alternative to Telegram?
Threema (Switzerland), Olvid (France), Wire (Germany and Switzerland), and Element and SimpleX Chat (United Kingdom).
Does Telegram need a phone number?
Yes. A Telegram account is tied to a phone number, or to an anonymous number bought on Fragment.
Can I use Rawly instead of Telegram?
For chats with the friends you play with, yes: direct messages and group chats are end-to-end encrypted by default. Rawly has no channels or bots, so it does not replace Telegram for those.
Chat privately. Shoot live.
Free on iOS and Android. For people 18 and over.