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Wire alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Wire: few personal contacts use it, and product direction centres on businesses. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Wire, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Element currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Element logoElementOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 466.5
2Threema logoThreemaPaidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +34 of 462.6
3Signal logoSignalFreeYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 559.6
4Slack logoSlackFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +33 of 350.0
  1. Element logo

    1. ElementTop pick

    Best for: Communities and organisations that want open, federated, encrypted chat they can run themselves

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Wire

    Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

    Pros

    • Federated: talk across servers, or host your own
    • Encrypted by default for private chats
    • Open source, with bridges to other networks

    Cons

    • More complex than mainstream messengers
    • Key backup and device verification confuse newcomers
    • Self-hosting a homeserver takes real admin work
    Visit Element Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Element a good Wire alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Free community edition
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise pricing
    Per seat/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Certification
    ISO/IEC 27001:2022
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Threema logo

    2. Threema

    Best for: Privacy-minded people who want an anonymous messenger and are happy to pay once

    PaidOpen sourceWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Wire

    Swiss, anonymous and audited, with a separate Threema Work product for companies.

    Pros

    • No phone number or email needed
    • Open-source apps, independently audited
    • One-time price, no ads or data harvesting

    Cons

    • Costs money, which deters friends from joining
    • Much smaller network than WhatsApp or Signal
    • Desktop app depends on the phone app
    Visit Threema Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Threema a good Wire alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    One-time purchase (about 6 CHF/EUR/USD)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026threema.ch(opens source in a new tab)
    Phone number
    Not required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026threema.ch(opens source in a new tab)
    Country
    Switzerland
    Checked Oct 25, 2026threema.ch(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL-3.0 (Android app)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Signal logo

    3. Signal

    Best for: Anyone who wants the strongest mainstream privacy without giving up a familiar chat app

    FreeOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Wire

    Free with a much bigger network, if you only need personal chats.

    Pros

    • Everything end-to-end encrypted by default, including groups
    • Collects almost no metadata
    • No ads, tracking or paid tier; open source

    Cons

    • Needs a phone number to register
    • Desktop app only works linked to a phone
    • Smaller network than WhatsApp in most countries
    Visit Signal Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Signal a good Wire alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Organisation
    Independent nonprofit
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Ads and tracking
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Always on
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop app
    Requires Signal on your phone
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Slack logo

    4. Slack

    Best for: Companies that want the largest integration ecosystem for chat

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    50.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Wire

    A mainstream team chat tool if encryption and sovereignty matter less than integrations.

    Pros

    • Huge integration ecosystem
    • Polished threads and huddles
    • Shared channels with other companies

    Cons

    • Free plan hides older message history
    • Costs rise quickly per seat
    Visit Slack Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Slack a good Wire alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, with limited history
    Checked Oct 24, 2026slack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Salesforce
    Checked Oct 24, 2026slack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, desktop, mobile
    Checked Oct 24, 2026slack.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Wire alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Element logo

Best Wire alternative for most people

Element

Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

Signal logo

Best Wire alternative for a free option

Signal

Free with a much bigger network, if you only need personal chats.

Olvid logo

Best Wire alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Olvid

European, no phone number, with strong security certifications for organisations.

Threema logo

Best Wire alternative for open source

Threema

Swiss, anonymous and audited, with a separate Threema Work product for companies.

Element logo

Best Wire alternative for self-hosting

Element

Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

Slack logo

Best Wire alternative for Mac

Slack

A mainstream team chat tool if encryption and sovereignty matter less than integrations.

Element logo

Best Wire alternative for Windows

Element

Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

Element logo

Best Wire alternative for Linux

Element

Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

Element logo

Best Wire alternative for iPhone and Android

Element

Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

Element logo

Best Wire alternative for working in the browser

Element

Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem.

Wire alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Wire?

Element ranks first right now. Federated Matrix messaging with self-hosting and a wider open ecosystem. Threema and Signal follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Wire?

Yes. Element (open source), Signal (free), Olvid (free plan + paid) and Slack (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Wire?

Yes: Element, Threema, Signal and Olvid. Element can also be self-hosted.

Which Wire alternatives work on Linux?

Element, Threema, Signal and Slack run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Wire?

The complaints we hear most: few personal contacts use it; product direction centres on businesses; free plan limited to small teams.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Wire, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.