Session vs Threema

Session is a private messaging app built and operated by a global community of privacy experts. It uses Account IDs instead of phone numbers or email addresses for signup, encrypts every message with the Session Protocol (built on libsodium), and routes conversations through onion-routed paths across thousands of community-run nodes so no single server can see both the sender and recipient of a message.

Threema is a privacy-focused messaging app built on a zero-knowledge principle, meaning the company cannot access message content even if compelled to. It uses consistent end-to-end encryption with Perfect Forward Secrecy for all chats, calls, and files, and lets users sign up without providing a phone number or email address.

• No phone number or email required, reducing identity exposure at signup
• Decentralized onion-routed network avoids reliance on centralized servers
• Open-source code that can be independently audited
• Free to use across all supported platforms

• No phone number required for signup, supporting real anonymity
• Open-source and independently audited encryption
• Strong compliance posture for regulated industries
• On-premises deployment option for enterprises

• Decentralized onion routing can introduce more latency than centralized messaging services
• Lack of phone-number-based contact discovery makes finding contacts less convenient than mainstream messengers
• Project funding model is tied to the Session Token cryptocurrency, which some users may be wary of

• Smaller user network than mainstream messaging apps
• Detailed subscription pricing is not published on the homepage
• Fewer casual social features than consumer chat apps