Threema

Threema takes a different approach to messaging. Instead of linking your account to a phone number, it generates a random ID. You can start chatting without handing over any personal information at all.

Every message, call, and file you send is encrypted before it leaves your device. The servers in Zurich only hold messages until they are delivered, then delete them. Threema does not store contact lists or group metadata on its servers either.

The app covers what you would expect: text, voice messages, video calls, group chats, polls, and file sharing. A web client lets you use it on your desktop too. You can verify contacts by scanning QR codes in person, so you know for sure you are talking to the right person.

Threema costs a one-time fee of around $2.99. No subscriptions, no ads, no upsells. The company makes money from the app purchase and from Threema Work, its business product.

Worth knowing

The small one-time price keeps the lights on, but it also limits how many people use Threema. Your contacts probably are not on it yet, so you may need to convince friends and family to switch. The app works well, but the interface feels a bit dated compared to slicker messengers. In early 2026, a German investment firm acquired the company. Threema says its servers and team stay in Switzerland, but it is worth keeping an eye on.