Telegram requires a phone number and most chats aren’t end-to-end encrypted by default. SimpleX takes the opposite stance: there are no user IDs at all, your identifier is a one-time link you share, and there’s no central directory of who you are.

What you gain

• Zero permanent identifiers, no phone, email, or username
• End-to-end encryption on every message and call
• Federated relay servers, run your own if you want
• Open-source clients with reproducible builds

What you give up

There’s no way for someone to find you unless you give them a link. Group discovery, public channels, and the Telegram-style content ecosystem don’t exist. The user base is tiny, so most chats are with people you specifically onboard.

The math

SimpleX is free. No premium tier, no ads, funded by grants and donations. Telegram remains free unless you want Premium at $60/year.

Who should switch

Activists, journalists, security researchers, and anyone with a real threat model. For casual group chats with friends who already use Telegram, this is too much friction. Use SimpleX as a second channel for sensitive conversations.