Signal

EU-Friendly

Send messages, make calls, and share files knowing nobody can listen in. Not even Signal.

US (non-profit)Free planFrom Free

Recommended
by Switch-to.eu

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Try it free or follow our step-by-step migration guide to make the switch.

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How does Signal compare to WhatsApp? Here is a side-by-side look at the key differences.

Feature

Signal

Based in

US (non-profit)

United States

Free plan

Yes

Starting price

Free

GDPR

GDPR Compliant

Partially Compliant

Open source

Yes

No

Data storage

United States (AWS infrastructure), Messages stored locally on user devices only

United States, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, Germany (EU local storage option)

•Shares messaging metadata with Meta for ad targeting across platforms
•Fined EUR 230.5 million by Ireland's DPC for GDPR transparency and legal basis violations
•Uploads your entire contact list to Meta servers during registration
•Requires phone number to sign up, preventing anonymous use
•Meta AI integrated in 2025 without user consent, no opt-out available in EU
•Zero-click spyware exploit (CVE-2025-55177) discovered in 2025
•Primary data storage in the United States, subject to US surveillance laws

Features in WhatsApp that Signal doesn't have:

•Cloud backup limitations: Unlike WhatsApp, Signal does not offer cloud backups to Google Drive or iCloud
•Polls: Signal does not have a poll feature
•Contact discovery: Signal requires both users to have the app installed before they can communicate with each other