TL;DR:
- Signal is the better app of the three when it comes to security and privacy.
- Telegram is the overall winner when it comes with features and services.
- Whatsapp remains the most used messaging app in the entire world.
Introduction
Messaging apps are a dime-a-dozen these days. However, when it comes to the number of users and credibility, three options stand out above the rest: WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. All of these three apps have seen varying levels of success over the years, and are all seen as some of the best messaging apps currently available.
Throughout this article, we will break down the key differences between these three apps and help you make the right decision for your needs.
A brief introduction into Whatsapp, Telegram, Signal
On February 24, 2009, former Yahoo! employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum launched WhatsApp in California. Around February of 2014, Facebook (Meta) announced their purchase of WhatsApp for $19 billion. After leaving, Brian Acton (Whatsapp founder) went on to found Signal Foundation, the team responsible for developing Signal – WhatsApp’s current main competitor.
As of 2022, Whatsapp currently has 2 billion active monthly users.
Telegram
Nikolai and Pavel Durov, who had previously developed the social networking site VK, introduced Telegram messenger on August 14, 2013, in Russia. The MTProto custom data protocol, the basis of Telegram, was created by Nikolai, with financial and philosophical assistance from Pavel.
With more than 550 million monthly active users, Telegram is one of the most widely used messaging services today.
Signal
Signal is the first free iOS app with end-to-end encrypted voice calls, originally launched on July 29, 2014. Thanks to Brian Acton’s original $50 million donation, the nonprofit Signal Technology Foundation officially began operations in California on February 21, 2018.
Signal had 40 million monthly active users as of 2021.
Telegram vs. Signal vs. WhatsApp: Which Is The Best?
Security & Privacy
When it comes to conversation security & privacy, all three apps offer encryption in one form or another, though the implementation differs for each.
There are 2 main questions that users tend to care about, and those are: (1) how secure are my conversations, and (2) how well-protected is my personal information?
- Telegram
Unlike the other 2 competitors, Telegram uses client-server encryption for its personal and group chats. Since Telegram handles the encryption and decryption of your communications at its servers, the messaging platform has access to your messages. This allows easy access to your conversations across all of your devices, though it’s not the same level of end-to-end encryption you get by default from Whatsapp or Signal.
- Signal & Whatsapp
From an encryption perspective, Signal and Whatsapp are fairly similar. They both use an encrypting protocol known as Signal protocol for all messages and calls, without exception. You can check the security of your calls and texts with specific contacts using a special security number that is assigned to each individual chat. The Signal protocol is available for review on GitHub and is open-sourced. Since everyone can review them, this enables individuals to find problems and errors, resulting in quicker repair.
What type of data does each app collect from users? Source: SetApp
But among the two, Signal is seen as being more secure. This has to do with the metadata WhatsApp collects, and the list is long. In contrast, Signal only archives one piece of data: your phone number, which means that details like the time and location of your communications are also encrypted and inaccessible to anyone.
That was a lot to take in, wasn’t it? Let’s recap what we just learned about these three app’s security in a table.
Features and Services
While behind in the security department, Telegram offers a more generous set of features compared to its direct competitors. Features like iMessage-like reactions, translation for foreign languages, QR codes for usernames and spoiler formatting to make specific text hidden behind a tap were all recently added to the platform.
Telegram offers a wide range of services, while Signal and Whatsapp keep things simple for the user. Source: Android Central
The other apps are not trailing too far behind, and still are making an effort to add new features. Signal introduced animated stickers, chat backgrounds, and a “about” section for your profile in January. Most recently, WhatsApp also gave users the chance to design their own stickers and transfer cash in Pax Dollars through the online client.
Closing Thoughts
In the end, we don’t have a full winner. Each platform has its own competitive edge, and the best choice for each user depends on what specific needs one is looking for from a messaging platform.
If security and privacy is your absolute priority, Signal is a top-notch choice. Right next to it would be Whatsapp, though you’ll be sharing your cookies with Facebook. If you want to have access to as many features and flexibility as possible, Telegram would be a perfect fit.
