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Signal vs WhatsApp
How the two compare on license, platforms and what the community thinks.
Key differences
- Signal is open source; WhatsApp is free.
- Only Signal is available on Linux.
- Only WhatsApp is available on Web.
| Feature | Signal | WhatsApp |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Say hello to privacy | Simple, reliable, private messaging |
| License | Open source | Free |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Self-hosted | ||
| Rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
| Alternatives listed | 0 | 3 |
| Page views | 411 | 1.1K |
About Signal
Signal is the gold standard for private messaging: every message and call is end-to-end encrypted by default, and the non-profit behind it collects virtually no metadata. It looks and works like a normal messenger — that's the point.
About WhatsApp
WhatsApp is the world's most popular messenger, with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls by Signal's own protocol. It's owned by Meta, which is exactly why privacy-focused users consider Signal or Telegram.