Some of the best-known WhatsApp alternatives include Signal, Telegram, and Threema. Some of these applications place great emphasis on data protection and anonymity. We will introduce them to you in more detail. Another app you an use without problems is the 20bet Asia casino.
In 2025, WhatsApp remains the undisputed number one messenger in Germany: With a usage rate of 83 percent, it is far ahead in favor of users in this country.
However, the messaging service is also repeatedly criticized – mainly for data protection reasons. Here you will find a list of WhatsApp alternatives.
Why WhatsApp is criticized
Concerns about data protection have been around for a long time: WhatsApp collects a lot of data, such as phone numbers and who is chatting with whom. According to the Consumer Advice Center, the company is allowed to pass this information on to its parent company, Meta.
In 2023, the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) criticized the data protection promises made to the European Union (EU) as insufficient.
WhatsApp is also repeatedly criticized for loopholes in its encryption: Hackers have discovered, for example, that even encrypted messages can be decrypted, i.e., made readable, via detours. We therefore show you various messengers that promise more security.
Edward Snowden’s first choice of messenger is Signal
Not all messengers are secure. IT specialist and American whistleblower Edward Snowden recommends the Signal app from the US company Open Whisper Systems.
Signal now also supports video calls. The app is considered very secure: since the source code is open, experts can easily check and confirm the security of the messenger.
- Availability: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
- Anonymity: Phone number and phone book required; a pseudonym can be used as a username. Encryption: Secure end-to-end encryption, which can mask the IP address via a proxy.
- Data protection: Servers are located in the US and are subject to US data protection law. Messages and attachments are not deleted after delivery, but you can activate a “self-destruct mode” for messages, which are then removed after a certain period of time.
Use Threema as an alternative to WhatsApp
Secure Threema messenger: an alternative to WhatsApp. Threema was the first major messenger app to commit to data protection. Threema has since expanded its protection even further and no longer requires personal data. In addition, the messenger now offers a similar range of features to WhatsApp. Even voice calls are possible.
- Availability: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Anonymity: No personal data required, assignment via a Threema ID, but contacts can be synchronized when setting up the app.
- Encryption: Secure end-to-end encryption.
- Data protection: Servers are located in Switzerland and are subject to Swiss data protection law; messages and attachments are deleted immediately after delivery. The code is open source, so experts can also check the security. Threema Work is available for business purposes to ensure compliance with German data protection regulations. This also allows private and business communications to be separated.
Wickr Messenger for particularly private chats
Wickr deletes metadata before sending. The free messenger AWS Wickr goes one step further: while other messengers delete data after delivery, it anonymizes the data before sending.
Here’s how it works: When you send a photo, you also send details such as location, date taken, and other metadata. AWS Wickr deletes all metadata before sending, so that only very little data is transmitted (for example, the time the image was sent).
If a chat user takes a screenshot, the other chat participant is notified. You can withdraw messages or have them deleted after a certain period of time. The source code is open, and the security can be verified by independent experts. It is also possible to make phone calls via the AWS Wickr messenger. The only drawback is that the data is stored in the US.
- Availability: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
- Anonymity: No email or cell phone number required, no reading of personal data.
- Encryption: Secure end-to-end encryption.
- Data protection: Servers are located in the US and are subject to US data protection laws.
