Bitchat
Hacker ApprovedRanked 6 of 48 messaging apps by recommenders
Bluetooth mesh chat app that works without internet or cell service, useful in outages and emergencies. Main caveat: critics say its security is weak and it only reaches people nearby.
Bluetooth mesh chat app that works without internet or cell service, useful in outages and emergencies. Main caveat: critics say its security is weak and it only reaches people nearby.
80 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 56
- criticize it
- 24
- approval share
- 70%
Recommended in 7 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 56 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2.3 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 7 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Works during internet shutdowns and outages
“Could be useful in india (especially Kashmir) where govt shut down internet during protest”
Comment from 16 Jan 2026 in “Briar keeps Iran connected via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when the internet goes dark” “the network remains functional during internet outages”
Comment from 19 Jan 2026 in “A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth” Works without internet or cellular
“I tested it and it's surreal to text without WiFi or cellular.”
Comment from 25 Jul 2026 in “Bitchat Is Now on Radicle” “bitchat is a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over bluetooth mesh networks”
Comment from 8 Jan 2026 in “ICE's Tool to Monitor Phones in Neighborhoods” No extra hardware needed
“something like BitChat (no hardware needed) for smaller groups and adhoc use”
Comment from 8 May 2026 in “An Introduction to Meshtastic” “BitChat works with tech people already have as well”
Comment from 13 Jan 2026 in “Ask HN: Iran's 120h internet shutdown,Phones back. How to stay resilient?” Mesh reaches beyond normal range
“can work over larger distances (and with a mesh architecture which lets you reach people that you wouldn't normally be able to reach)”
Comment from 25 Jul 2026 in “Bitchat Is Now on Radicle” “I have seen a test of bitchat using radio communication over a distance of more than 5 km.”
Comment from 19 Jan 2026 in “A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Security and privacy not audited
“It doesnt actually have basically any security or privacy from all the dozens of independent security audit findings.”
Comment from 16 Jan 2026 in “Briar keeps Iran connected via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when the internet goes dark” “free advertising for a vibcoded and questionably secure entry in a space with plenty of competitors”
Comment from 25 Jul 2026 in “Government orders GitHub to remove Bluetooth-based chat app Bitchat: Jack Dorsey” “Bitchat doesn't actually have either according to !any independent security audits”
Comment from 16 Jan 2026 in “Briar keeps Iran connected via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when the internet goes dark” - Comment from 13 Jan 2026 in “Iran has now been offline for 96 hours”
Only reaches nearby people
“This seems better suited for chatting with arbitrary people nearby, but with zero verification of who you're talking to.”
Comment from 14 Nov 2025 in “Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet” “I don't understand why it's Bluetooth only. I would think Wifi reaches further.”
Comment from 15 Jul 2026 in “Briar Is in Maintenance Mode” “it does not allow long distance communication the way internet based apps do.”
Comment from 19 Jan 2026 in “A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth” - Comment from 14 Nov 2025 in “Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet”
Few users, needs others nearby
“It has potential but I think it needs something to make it scale to a small town”
Comment from 10 Feb 2026 in “Bitchat – decentralized peer-to-peer messaging” “I could never find anyone else on Bitchat, it was just me when I opened it”
Comment from 10 Feb 2026 in “Bitchat – decentralized peer-to-peer messaging” “bluetooth connectivity only works at scale if everyone has the app”
Comment from 25 Jul 2026 in “Government orders GitHub to remove Bluetooth-based chat app Bitchat: Jack Dorsey” - Comment from 19 Jan 2026 in “A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth”
Feels unfinished, early stage
“Bitchat only just recently even added ad hoc wifi support, so it's still very early days.”
Comment from 19 Jan 2026 in “A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth” “Unfortunately Bitchat feels like an unfinished proof of concept.”
Comment from 24 Jul 2026 in “Government orders GitHub to remove Bluetooth-based chat app Bitchat: Jack Dorsey”
Other messaging apps people recommend
The four most recommended other messaging apps, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
See all 48 messaging apps, rankedWhat people said
40 of the 93 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“bitchat is one of the few that actually kind of manages it”
“It could do with a UI tweak though so that by default it shows you the most 'zoomed in' geohash with any activity.”
“There is no bigger measure of success for a privacy project than getting a freedom hating government to request a takedown.”
“I do wish it had vicinity based chat rather than the geohashes”
“It is handy if you're on a plane with someone but your seats are separated”
“can work over larger distances (and with a mesh architecture which lets you reach people that you wouldn't normally be able to reach)”
“I tested it and it's surreal to text without WiFi or cellular.”
“free advertising for a vibcoded and questionably secure entry in a space with plenty of competitors”
“bluetooth connectivity only works at scale if everyone has the app”
“Unfortunately Bitchat feels like an unfinished proof of concept.”
“If Modi government wants to ban something, it is usually good stuff.”
“These types technologies are really important and I support making decentralized communications easy.”
“I don't understand why it's Bluetooth only. I would think Wifi reaches further.”
“something like BitChat (no hardware needed) for smaller groups and adhoc use”
“I'm surprised BitChat has not seen more popularity. Something that combined that + a dedicated hardware mesh transmitter”
“It has potential but I think it needs something to make it scale to a small town”
“I could never find anyone else on Bitchat, it was just me when I opened it”
“Bitchat only just recently even added ad hoc wifi support, so it's still very early days.”
“it does not allow long distance communication the way internet based apps do.”
“I have seen a test of bitchat using radio communication over a distance of more than 5 km.”
“the network remains functional during internet outages”
“nobody appears to be online - across the entire United States”
“For iOS users, "Bitchat" from Jack Dorsey is pretty similar.”
“Bitchat doesn't actually have either according to !any independent security audits”
“It doesnt actually have basically any security or privacy from all the dozens of independent security audit findings.”
“have my family member install bitchat just in case for emergencies”
“Could be useful in india (especially Kashmir) where govt shut down internet during protest”
“BitChat works with tech people already have as well”
“could bypass the need for a network with p2p bluetooth mesh networks”
“I wouldn't recommend using any of their tools in such a life or death situation.”
“bitchat is a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over bluetooth mesh networks”
“see how it has been used in Nepal, Indonesia, and elsewhere”
“check out Bitchat for a real world example of Nostr being effectively used without even requiring Internet connectivity”
“It probably would struggle with RTL and LTR stuff regarding arabic script vs latin script”
“The hard part in mesh networking is routing, and broadcast sidesteps that”
“This seems better suited for chatting with arbitrary people nearby, but with zero verification of who you're talking to.”
“The user base size is huge. This is actively being used by tens of thousands”
“when you are actually locally near someone you don't really need live chat”
“this kind of tech may end up being more useful than people expect”
“if a serious audit is done then it could be a nice solution”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.