Signal vs. Telegram: Which encrypted messaging app wins?
Betoken vs. Telegram: Which encrypted messaging app wins?
With a contempo exodus from WhatsApp, many users accept been turning to other complimentary messaging platforms to communicate with friends and strangers. Signal and Telegram are two of the almost pop and reliable alternatives, and both are on our list of best encrypted messaging apps.
But Signal and Telegram are not made equal, and each will likely benefit a different type of user. Let's see how they stack upwardly.
- The best WhatsApp alternatives
- How to switch from WhatsApp to Signal
Signal vs. Telegram: Features compared
| Signal | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | End-to-end past default using the Point Protocol | Some end-to-end options using the MTProto 2.0 protocol |
| Data collected | None except telephone number | Telephone number, contacts, IP address |
| Messaging types | Individual, grouping, video, voice | Individual, group, channels, video, voice |
| Cocky-destruct messaging | Yes, for all chats | Yes, for Secret Chats merely |
| Customization | Limited | Extensive |
| Cost | Costless | Free |
Signal vs. Telegram: Which is more secure?
The bottom line: if security is your priority, Signal is the obvious selection.
Signal is the clear winner when it comes to security. For starters, all Point messages are encrypted end-to-end past default, which means that no one simply you and the people you're chatting with tin access your messages.
In dissimilarity, merely some of Telegram's messages and voice calls have end-to-cease encryption. The residual are potentially visible to Telegram employees, law enforcement and others. Nosotros'll go into more item on the message types below.
Bespeak's open-source encryption protocol is bachelor for all to see and anyone to examine, meaning that flaws can be plant and fixed quickly. Its encryption is also used by WhatsApp.
For its encrypted Secret Chats, Telegram uses its own MTProto ii.0 protocol, which is open up-source on the client side. Many data-security experts state that Telegram's "homegrown encryption technology" has a express rail record compared to Signal's, although the consensus seems to be that information technology is more than secure than MTProto one.0.
An bookish enquiry newspaper published in Dec 2020 analyzed Telegram's MTProto 2.0 protocol and deemed it fundamentally sound. It added that "farther investigation" was needed "in order to deem this protocol suite definitely secure."
Bespeak collects far less information on its users than Telegram does. Point generally stores only the engagement on which you created your account and when you last continued. Telegram's metadata may include your IP address (and as a effect, your location) besides as who you lot are talking to and when. That matters when the authorities show upward at the service provider'southward facilities with a search warrant.
You can commencement Signal chats by typing in another person's number, only Telegram needs access to your contacts before you lot tin can message anyone.
For those who are concerned well-nigh big tech snooping on private conversations, Signal again proves to exist the better choice. While Signal is owned past a non-profit foundation, Telegram'south founders are Russian billionaires Pavel and Nikolai Durov, who also created VK, the country's most popular social network. The brothers no longer live in Russia, and while their company is based in London, many central operations are in Dubai.
Indicate vs. Telegram: Device support
Telegram has a slight edge in this category, with support for Windows Phone as well as a Chrome browser extension and a fully web-based option. Both Bespeak and Telegram are available on the following platforms:
iOS (Signal, Telegram)
MacOS (Signal, Telegram)
Android (Point, Telegram)
Windows (Signal, Telegram)
Linux (Debian-based distros for Betoken, 32-bit and 64-bit versions for Telegram)
Bespeak vs. Telegram: Installation and ease of use
The installation process for both apps is relatively simple: Download the software for your preferred platform, register using your phone number, and enter the verification code received via SMS. (In some cases, Telegram volition telephone call you with the code instead.)
Both platforms crave a outset name to finalize your profile, simply neither require that name to be your real name. You tin can utilise an allonym or, with Signal, an emoji. Y'all'll be asked whether you desire to enable app permissions, such every bit admission to your contacts.
Signal so requires you to create a PIN. This footstep is optional, but recommended, with Telegram and can be found under Settings > Privacy & Security > Passcode Lock.
Before y'all can enable a desktop version of either Signal or Telegram, y'all must set up your account via the mobile app. Signal has an in-app QR code for linking other devices. Telegram provides a similar QR code, but you tin besides utilize your phone number and an SMS verification code.
Signal vs. Telegram: Features
Both apps are like when it comes to chat options.
Individual messages: Bespeak's individual messages are encrypted stop-to-cease by default, while Telegram's basic one-on-i chats are not. If you want to protect your communications in Telegram from Telegram itself, you'll have to first a Secret Chat.
Grouping chats: Both platforms offering a group messaging pick. Over again, Point's is encrypted end-to-end, while Telegram's is not. (There'due south no Secret Chat equivalent for groups.) Point groups tin can include upwardly to one,000 users while Telegram allows up to 200,000 group members.
Voice and video calls: Both platforms accept vocalisation and video calling features. Bespeak'south encrypted calls tin be made individually or contain up to xl users in a group.
Telegram has terminate-to-end encrypted, 1-on-i video calling likewise as a voice-chat characteristic that allows large groups to hold conversations in which members can come and get. Telegram's group voice chats are encrypted from the client device (i.east., a phone or desktop) to the server, but not from one finish to the other.
Disappearing messages: Point messages in any private or group chat can be gear up to disappear inside anywhere from five seconds to one week. Telegram has a similar self-destruct option that is no longer only for Cloak-and-dagger Chats, merely as well for regular chats.
From there, the bonus privacy features differ slightly, and Signal has fewer of them. There'southward an image-blur tool that allows yous to hide faces in photos and videos — handy if you're sending media from protests. At that place's also a screen-lock setting that requires your password or biometric admission to open the app. (Telegram has one too.)
With Telegram, yous 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 cocky-destruct your account automatically if it goes unused for a prepare period of time.
Telegram likewise operates more like a social-media network with its Channels function and a agglomeration of other settings we'll go into below.
Channels allow users to broadcast letters — including text, photos, videos, files and podcasts — to an unlimited number of subscribers. The advice is 1-way, like a radio station, and subscribers can't respond to channel messages. Channels tin be public or private/invite-simply.
Point vs. Telegram: User feel
Telegram has a lot more options to customize your experience, so in that sense, information technology's the frontrunner in this category. In that location are a ton of settings you can adapt effectually font size and color themes; emojis and animations; and notifications.
The app will create playlists if you send multiple song files at once and launch them in its built-in media player. Y'all tin can run polls and quizzes, edit photos and videos, and view other users who happen to be physically almost you with People Nearby (not a privacy-friendly feature).
Indicate is a much simpler app in which the focus is on sending basic text, media and voice messages securely, although it recently introduced animated stickers and added to its available emojis. Overall, Signal is easy to navigate and doesn't require a lot of customization to become the most out of your feel.
Point vs. Telegram: Verdict
Ultimately, the option betwixt Signal and Telegram depends on your priorities. If security and encryption are at the height of your list, Signal is the all-time option no matter which other features yous use.
If you want to be able to send encrypted letters but on occasion and brand use of social-network-fashion features, and then Telegram may be a better fit. Just keep in mind that you must actively select Telegram's Cloak-and-dagger Chat option if you desire your communications to be encrypted terminate-to-end.
Updated with back up for 40 participants in Point group video chats. This confront-off was originally published in February 2021.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/signal-vs-telegram
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