Keet
Shares rank 19 of 48 messaging apps by recommenders
Peer-to-peer messaging app with no servers or signups, working on mobile and desktop, though critics note it is not open source so encryption cannot be verified.
Peer-to-peer messaging app with no servers or signups, working on mobile and desktop, though critics note it is not open source so encryption cannot be verified.
26 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 16
- criticize it
- 10
- approval share
- 62%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 16 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 1.6 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 5 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
Peer-to-peer messaging with no servers
“Have a look at Keet, it's a p2p IM app, works on mobile and desktop, behind NAT and all.”
Comment from 9 May 2026 in “Meta Shuts Down End-to-End Encryption for Instagram Messaging” “new projects like Keet.io keep the p2p dream alive”
Comment from 8 Oct 2026 in “Dat-ecosystem: high level applications built on top of P2P protocols” “true p2p & secure chat. No servers.”
Comment from 24 Dec 2025 in “We Abandoned Matrix: The Dark Truth About User Security and Safety (2024)” No signups and reliable connections
“try keet messenger or holesail.io app to experience the reliability”
Comment from 8 Oct 2026 in “Dat-ecosystem: high level applications built on top of P2P protocols” “no signups, it just works”
Comment from 9 Feb 2026 in “Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month” Structured courses for self-learners
“I think there are plenty of people who teach themselves things for fun and and want to have structured courses to learn from.”
Comment from 11 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” “some users have enjoyed and gotten value out of the videos”
Comment from 14 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Not open source, encryption unverifiable
“no source availability is a red flag for me”
Comment from 9 Feb 2026 in “Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month” “Not open source, you can't verify the end-to-end encryption or any other measures the client uses actually happen.”
Comment from 24 Dec 2025 in “We Abandoned Matrix: The Dark Truth About User Security and Safety (2024)” “It doesn't appear to be open source, so users have no control or lasting guarantees of privacy.”
Comment from 24 Dec 2025 in “We Abandoned Matrix: The Dark Truth About User Security and Safety (2024)” Asks for phone number or contacts
“Your app asks people if they would like to upload their contacts? That’s a massive dark pattern.”
Comment from 11 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” “I get blocked on the phone number screen on sign up.”
Comment from 11 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” “Phone number sign-up means instant delete.”
Comment from 11 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” Doubtful business or shallow moat
“First, the moat looks shallow.”
Comment from 13 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” “I don't think there's a business here, sorry.”
Comment from 11 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” Course content quality concerns
“That logo for „introduction to topology“ feels incredibly off.”
Comment from 11 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything” “It just creates educational slop.”
Comment from 14 Aug 2026 in “Launch HN: Keet (YC S24) – An app to create video courses on anything”
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
27 of the 31 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“try keet messenger or holesail.io app to experience the reliability”
“Mathias is continuing the dat/hypercore stuff at Holepunch (building Keet and Pears)”
“Is keet.io a reincarnation of Cabal chat”
“the keet messenger shows you whats possible”
“new projects like Keet.io keep the p2p dream alive”
“some users have enjoyed and gotten value out of the videos”
“It just creates educational slop.”
“First, the moat looks shallow.”
“I would add private option, even if paid as businesses may want to use for their internal training and not want public”
“Your app asks people if they would like to upload their contacts? That’s a massive dark pattern.”
“I think there are plenty of people who teach themselves things for fun and and want to have structured courses to learn from.”
“i dont like chatbot ux for learning”
“I don't think there's a business here, sorry.”
“That logo for „introduction to topology“ feels incredibly off.”
“really cool product! Congrats!”
“Phone number sign-up means instant delete.”
“I get blocked on the phone number screen on sign up.”
“Tapping this takes me to a blank screen.”
“The QR code that shows on hovering the "Download" button is very cool!”
“Very cool, congrats on the launch.”
“Might be too P2P for your taste though.”
“Have a look at Keet, it's a p2p IM app, works on mobile and desktop, behind NAT and all.”
“no source availability is a red flag for me”
“no signups, it just works”
“Not open source, you can't verify the end-to-end encryption or any other measures the client uses actually happen.”
“It doesn't appear to be open source, so users have no control or lasting guarantees of privacy.”
“true p2p & secure chat. No servers.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.