Threema
Hacker ApprovedShares rank 21 of 48 messaging apps by recommenders
Recommended as a privacy-focused, end-to-end encrypted messenger that works without a phone number and has open-source clients. Critics raise vendor lock-in.
Recommended as a privacy-focused, end-to-end encrypted messenger that works without a phone number and has open-source clients. Critics raise vendor lock-in.
18 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 15
- criticize it
- 3
- approval share
- 83%
Recommended in 6 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 15 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 5 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 6 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
Named as alternative to Signal
“I'd start looking in the direction of Threema or TorChat if Signal isn't private enough.”
Comment from 24 Nov 2025 in “Signal knows who you're talking to (2023)” “Use Threema instead, or similar. It is a paid service with focus on privacy.”
Comment from 20 Nov 2025 in “Researchers discover security vulnerability in WhatsApp” “Probably better to use Signal or Threema.”
Comment from 28 Jan 2026 in “Clawdbot Renames to Moltbot” - Comment from 16 Jan 2026 in “Just the Browser”
End-to-end encrypted, open-source clients
“It's end-to-end encrypted and the clients are open-source.”
Comment from 5 Feb 2026 in “European Commission Trials Matrix to Replace Teams” “The clients are open source and implement E2E encryption.”
Comment from 12 Jan 2026 in “Comitis Capital announces the acquisition of Threema” Better UX for everyday messaging
“known for good UX and viability as everyday messengers”
Comment from 5 May 2026 in “Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8” “I'd say that Threema has better UX than Signal”
Comment from 29 Apr 2026 in “Wire to Replace Signal as Standard in the Bundestag” “Threema's better for that use case”
Comment from 28 Apr 2026 in “Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to AirDrop” Works without a phone number
“it allows a determined party to largely remain anonymous even in the face of upstream provider's compromise”
Comment from 27 Jan 2026 in “Kash Patel says FBI is investigating Signal chats of Minnesotans tracking ICE” “there still are a bunch of viable messaging apps/services that work without a phone number”
Comment from 9 Jun 2026 in “FCC Wants to Kill Burner Phones by Forcing Telecoms to Get All Customers' IDs”
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
15 of the 20 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“there still are a bunch of viable messaging apps/services that work without a phone number”
“known for good UX and viability as everyday messengers”
“I'd say that Threema has better UX than Signal”
“personally I like Element (Matrix) and Threema”
“Threema's better for that use case”
“I've found Matrix significantly more user friendly than Threema work”
“Threema is still vendor lock-in.”
“It's end-to-end encrypted and the clients are open-source.”
“Probably better to use Signal or Threema.”
“it allows a determined party to largely remain anonymous even in the face of upstream provider's compromise”
“a Swiss option priced at 5 euros one-time”
“Signal or Threema would be great”
“The clients are open source and implement E2E encryption.”
“I'd start looking in the direction of Threema or TorChat if Signal isn't private enough.”
“Use Threema instead, or similar. It is a paid service with focus on privacy.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.