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Delta Chat

Decentralised encrypted messenger built on email standards, with instant chatmail relays and in-chat apps.

Open sourceSelf-hostableMessaging apps
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About Delta Chat

Delta Chat looks like a normal messenger but is built on internet email standards. By default you get an instant account on a chatmail relay, a lightweight server designed for fast, encrypted chat, with no phone number needed; you can also use an existing email account. Because it is based on open standards, there are many relays run by different people and it interoperates with other chatmail apps. Messages are end-to-end encrypted with audited encryption that protects against network and server attacks. It supports multiple profiles and devices, voice messages, groups, and small web apps that run inside chats for games, polls and shared to-do lists. The apps are free and open source, developed by a community and funded by grants and donations. It runs on Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and Linux. It is less polished than mainstream messengers, and calls are a recent addition, but it is one of the easiest decentralised options to start with.

Best for: People who want decentralised, encrypted chat with sign-up as easy as a mainstream app.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Instant sign-up without a phone number
  • Decentralised relays based on open email standards
  • In-chat web apps for games and collaboration

Why people leave

  • Less polished than mainstream messengers
  • Small user base
  • Calling is newer and more limited

Top Delta Chat alternatives

See all 4
  1. 1Element logo
    Element

    Federated Matrix chat with richer group and community features.

    66.5
  2. 2SimpleX Chat logo
    SimpleX Chat

    Decentralised relays with no user identifiers at all.

    62.6
  3. 3Signal logo
    Signal

    A larger network and a more polished app, run centrally by a nonprofit.

    59.6
  4. 4Conversations logo
    Conversations

    Another open-standards messenger, using federated XMPP on Android.

    57.2

Why people left Delta Chat

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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Delta Chat: common questions

Is Delta Chat free?

Yes. Delta Chat is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is Delta Chat open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at deltachat/deltachat-android. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does Delta Chat run on?

Delta Chat is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to Delta Chat?

The highest-ranked Delta Chat alternatives right now are Element, SimpleX Chat and Signal. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 Delta Chat alternatives