Signal vs. Telegram: Which encrypted messaging app wins?
Signal vs. Telegram: Which encrypted messaging app wins?
With a recent exodus from WhatsApp, many users accept been turning to other free messaging platforms to communicate with friends and strangers. Signal and Telegram are two of the nigh popular and reliable alternatives, and both are on our listing of all-time encrypted messaging apps.
Merely Signal and Telegram are not made equal, and each will likely benefit a different type of user. Let's see how they stack up.
- The best WhatsApp alternatives
- How to switch from WhatsApp to Point
Indicate vs. Telegram: Features compared
| Point | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | End-to-end by default using the Signal Protocol | Some terminate-to-end options using the MTProto 2.0 protocol |
| Data collected | None except phone number | Telephone number, contacts, IP accost |
| Messaging types | Individual, group, video, voice | Individual, grouping, channels, video, vocalism |
| Cocky-destruct messaging | Yes, for all chats | Yeah, for Undercover Chats but |
| Customization | Express | All-encompassing |
| Price | Gratis | Free |
Betoken vs. Telegram: Which is more secure?
The bottom line: if security is your priority, Signal is the obvious pick.
Signal is the clear winner when it comes to security. For starters, all Bespeak messages are encrypted end-to-end by default, which means that no 1 but you and the people you're chatting with can access your messages.
In contrast, only some of Telegram's messages and voice calls have end-to-terminate encryption. The residuum are potentially visible to Telegram employees, law enforcement and others. We'll go into more than detail on the message types below.
Indicate's open-source encryption protocol is available for all to see and anyone to examine, meaning that flaws can be found and stock-still chop-chop. Its encryption is as well used by WhatsApp.
For its encrypted Secret Chats, Telegram uses its own MTProto two.0 protocol, which is open-source on the client side. Many information-security experts state that Telegram's "homegrown encryption technology" has a limited track record compared to Signal's, although the consensus seems to exist that information technology is more secure than MTProto 1.0.
An academic enquiry newspaper published in December 2020 analyzed Telegram's MTProto two.0 protocol and deemed it fundamentally sound. Information technology added that "further investigation" was needed "in order to deem this protocol suite definitely secure."
Bespeak collects far less data on its users than Telegram does. Point generally stores only the date on which you created your account and when you final continued. Telegram'southward metadata may include your IP accost (and every bit a result, your location) as well every bit who you are talking to and when. That matters when the authorities show upwardly at the service provider'southward facilities with a search warrant.
You tin can get-go Bespeak chats by typing in another person's number, simply Telegram needs access to your contacts before you can bulletin anyone.
For those who are concerned about big tech snooping on private conversations, Signal again proves to be the improve choice. While Signal is endemic by a not-profit foundation, Telegram'southward founders are Russian billionaires Pavel and Nikolai Durov, who too created VK, the country's most pop social network. The brothers no longer alive in Russia, and while their company is based in London, many central operations are in Dubai.
Signal vs. Telegram: Device support
Telegram has a slight edge in this category, with support for Windows Phone as well every bit a Chrome browser extension and a fully web-based option. Both Signal and Telegram are available on the following platforms:
iOS (Signal, Telegram)
MacOS (Betoken, Telegram)
Android (Betoken, Telegram)
Windows (Signal, Telegram)
Linux (Debian-based distros for Indicate, 32-fleck and 64-bit versions for Telegram)
Indicate vs. Telegram: Installation and ease of employ
The installation process for both apps is relatively uncomplicated: Download the software for your preferred platform, register using your telephone number, and enter the verification lawmaking received via SMS. (In some cases, Telegram will phone call you with the code instead.)
Both platforms crave a first name to finalize your profile, merely neither crave that name to be your existent name. Y'all can use an alias or, with Signal, an emoji. You lot'll be asked whether you lot want to enable app permissions, such as access to your contacts.
Signal and then requires you to create a Pin. This step is optional, but recommended, with Telegram and tin can be found nether Settings > Privacy & Security > Passcode Lock.
Before you can enable a desktop version of either Signal or Telegram, you must set up your account via the mobile app. Indicate has an in-app QR lawmaking for linking other devices. Telegram provides a similar QR code, just yous tin can also apply your phone number and an SMS verification code.
Signal vs. Telegram: Features
Both apps are similar when it comes to chat options.
Individual messages: Point's private messages are encrypted cease-to-end by default, while Telegram'southward basic one-on-one chats are not. If you want to protect your communications in Telegram from Telegram itself, you'll accept to start a Hush-hush Chat.
Grouping chats: Both platforms offer a grouping messaging choice. Again, Signal's is encrypted end-to-end, while Telegram'due south is not. (There's no Undercover Conversation equivalent for groups.) Bespeak groups tin can include up to ane,000 users while Telegram allows upwardly to 200,000 group members.
Vocalism and video calls: Both platforms have vocalisation and video calling features. Betoken's encrypted calls tin can be fabricated individually or contain upward to forty users in a group.
Telegram has cease-to-end encrypted, 1-on-one video calling likewise equally a voice-conversation feature that allows large groups to concord conversations in which members tin can come and become. Telegram's group voice chats are encrypted from the client device (i.e., a phone or desktop) to the server, only not from one end to the other.
Disappearing letters: Betoken messages in whatever private or grouping conversation can be set to disappear within anywhere from five seconds to i week. Telegram has a similar cocky-destruct option that is no longer only for Hole-and-corner Chats, just also for regular chats.
From there, the bonus privacy features differ slightly, and Bespeak has fewer of them. There'due south an image-blur tool that allows you to hide faces in photos and videos — handy if you're sending media from protests. There'due south likewise a screen-lock setting that requires your password or biometric access to open the app. (Telegram has one too.)
With Telegram, y'all tin opt to delete payment or shipping information communicated in your chats, to unsend messages (which deletes them for both the sender and the recipient), and to self-destruct your account automatically if information technology goes unused for a ready menstruum of time.
Telegram too operates more like a social-media network with its Channels function and a bunch of other settings we'll get into below.
Channels let users to circulate messages — including text, photos, videos, files and podcasts — to an unlimited number of subscribers. The communication is i-way, similar a radio station, and subscribers can't respond to channel messages. Channels can exist public or individual/invite-only.
Bespeak vs. Telegram: User experience
Telegram has a lot more options to customize your experience, and then in that sense, it's the frontrunner in this category. There are a ton of settings y'all can adjust around font size and color themes; emojis and animations; and notifications.
The app volition create playlists if you ship multiple song files at once and launch them in its built-in media thespian. You can run polls and quizzes, edit photos and videos, and view other users who happen to be physically near you lot with People Nearby (not a privacy-friendly characteristic).
Indicate is a much simpler app in which the focus is on sending basic text, media and voice letters securely, although it recently introduced blithe stickers and added to its available emojis. Overall, Signal is easy to navigate and doesn't require a lot of customization to go the most out of your experience.
Indicate vs. Telegram: Verdict
Ultimately, the selection between Indicate and Telegram depends on your priorities. If security and encryption are at the pinnacle of your listing, Signal is the best choice no affair which other features you use.
If you want to be able to send encrypted messages only on occasion and make apply of social-network-style features, and so Telegram may be a better fit. Just go on in mind that yous must actively select Telegram'southward Secret Chat option if you want your communications to be encrypted end-to-end.
Updated with back up for 40 participants in Signal grouping video chats. This face-off was originally published in Feb 2021.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/signal-vs-telegram
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