# Signal

A nonprofit, end-to-end encrypted messenger with no ads or tracking.

HTML: https://softbests.com/software/signal
Markdown: https://softbests.com/software/signal.md
Website: https://signal.org

- Category: [Productivity](https://softbests.com/category/productivity)
- Pricing: Free
- Platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

## Best for

People who want private messaging and calls without handing their contact graph to an ad-funded platform.

## Why it deserves attention

Signal encrypts messages, calls, and group chats end to end and stores almost nothing on its servers; the Signal Foundation is a nonprofit funded by donations rather than ads. It supports text, voice and video calls, groups up to 1,000 people, disappearing messages, and linked desktop clients, with clients for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. The apps are open source, and the protocol is published and widely reviewed. The trade-off is that it is a messenger, not a social network: it has no channels for discovery, and it needs a phone number to register.

## Can replace

- WhatsApp
- iMessage

## Related and alternatives

- [Cryptomator](https://softbests.com/software/cryptomator)
- [Tailscale](https://softbests.com/software/tailscale)