Top 6 decentralized communication tools, 2026 private chat test comparison

In 2026, people’s dissatisfaction with centralized communication software has reached new heights. WhatsApp, WeChat, and Telegram have all experienced large-scale data requests or compliance leaks, and ordinary users have begun to try decentralized communication. The core of decentralized communication tools is that there is no central server or servers that are equal to each other. The failure of any server will not affect the whole. This article compares the functions, ease of use, and privacy strength of the Top 6 decentralized communication tools in 2026 from an actual measurement perspective.

Reference data. Briar, SimpleX, Session, Matrix, Jami, Berty each have their latest versions in 2026. EFF February 2026 Open Source Communication Tools Review. Latest recommended list of Privacy Guides sites. GitHub stars as of April 2026. Official documentation for each tool.

3 architectural distinctions in decentralized communication

不同工具的去中心化方式完全不同,选工具前先明白原理。

The first type of serverless peer-to-peer architecture. The two devices discover and talk directly, without any third party. Briar is representative.蓝牙、Wi-Fi 直连、Tor 网络作为传输层。优点是没有任何服务器可以被攻击或被监管。缺点是离线消息困难,两台设备必须曾经同时上线才能同步消息。

The second type of federated server architecture.多个独立服务器互相联邦,用户在 A 服务器,朋友在 B 服务器,两台服务器之间转发消息。 Matrix is ​​representative. Email's SMTP protocol has the same architecture. The advantage is that the server can cache messages offline.缺点是元数据 metadata 仍可能被对应服务器记录。

The third type of anonymous relay architecture.多个无状态中继服务器,消息加密后通过中继转发,中继本身不知道发送者和接收者关系。 SimpleX and Session are representatives.中继不存储用户身份,只在 1 到 24 小时内缓存加密消息。 The advantage is that it is resistant to metadata analysis.缺点是初次连接需要面对面交换密钥或扫码。

Understanding these 3 architectures is critical to tool selection.监管对抗最强是第一类,日常体验最好是第三类,公司协作适用第二类。

Briar is an extreme solution with complete offline priority

Briar is an open source Android application started in 2018. It will add iOS support in 2024 and launch a desktop version in early 2026. 3 core features.

First there is no server. All messages are transmitted through Tor encryption, or directly synchronized between two devices through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, suitable for disconnected or restricted networks.

The second contact is added by scanning the QR code face-to-face. Two Briar mobile phones establish a relationship by scanning each other's QR code close to each other, which has never been exposed on the Internet.

Third forum and blog function. Briar is more than just chat, it has built-in decentralized forums and private blogs, and all content is synchronized only among added contacts.

Actual test experience. Installing the Android package is approximately 12MB. Registration does not require any mobile phone number or email address, just a nickname and password. To exchange contacts with friends, you must scan the QR code in person. Adding friends remotely is supported but cumbersome. Chat latency is 2 to 5 seconds on Tor.

Suitable for the scene. Journalists, activists, users fighting against a censorship environment. Briar is not suitable for daily chat, but suitable for conversations that "will not be intercepted on important occasions".

insufficient. There is no video call, the file size is limited to 1MB, and the UI is rough. Female friends usually find it difficult to use.

SimpleX new design without user ID

SimpleX is an open source protocol developed by a British team in 2021. In Q1 2026, its monthly active users exceeded 8 million. The core innovation is that there is no user identifier, the connection is established through a temporary one-time key.

How it works. Each conversation has an independent encrypted channel. When A contacts B, A generates a pair of temporary keys and gives them to B through a QR code or link. B uses the pair of keys to connect to a relay server. From then on, A and B forward messages through this relay. Third parties cannot see the identity association between A and B.

Actual test experience. Client Android, iOS, desktop, CLI all platforms. Please note that push notifications on the beta version of iOS are occasionally delayed by 2 minutes. Chat delay is normal, text within 1 second, picture 2 to 5 seconds. Voice and video calls are supported, both 1-to-1 and small group.

Features. Supporting self-hosted relay, anyone can build their own SMP server and join the global SimpleX network. Relays relay messages to each other through protocols. This means that even if the official relay is blocked, the self-hosted relay can still work.

For whom. Users who have high privacy requirements but are unwilling to sacrifice their daily experience. SimpleX combines modern UI with strong privacy protection, one of the most recommended privacy newsletters in 2026.

insufficient. The learning curve is steep, and new users are easily confused by the process of adding friends via QR code. File storage is temporary and will be lost if you do not actively back it up.

Session is a mature solution based on Tor ideas

Session is an open source application launched by Loki Foundation in 2020, forked from Signal. The core feature is to use the Service Node network to replace the central server, based on the self-developed Onion Routing protocol.

How it works. The Session network consists of more than 2,000 Service Nodes, and operators receive incentives by pledging Oxen tokens to run nodes. The message is encrypted and routed from the sender to the recipient through 3 random nodes, with no single node knowing the full path.

Actual test experience. Registration does not require a mobile phone number and email address. A 66-digit Session ID is generated, which is your identity. This ID is similar to a Bitcoin address and can be shared but the identity cannot be reversed. Client Android, iOS, desktop, Linux are fully covered. The UI is close to Signal's ease of use.

feature. Closed groups support end-to-end encryption. Open groups are similar to Telegram channels, with low encryption density but can accommodate multiple people. Voice and video calls will be added in 2025, and the current delay is relatively high, 3 to 7 seconds.

For whom. Users who want an experience close to Signal but completely decentralized. Session ID is not bound to any identity, which is its trump card.

insufficient. Service Node network speed is slower than centralized solutions. The token mechanism is a negative sign for users who are worried about cryptocurrency correlation.

Matrix, the collaborative workhorse of federalization

Matrix is an open source protocol and federated architecture launched by the Element team in 2014. Anyone can run their own Homeserver, and servers forward messages to each other through protocols.

How it works. matrix.org is the default Homeserver, but you can also use element.io or self-host. The account format is @username:server.com, friends can be added across servers, and messages are automatically synchronized.

Actual test experience. Element is the official client, covering Android, iOS, desktop, and Web. The UI is close to Slack, suitable for team collaboration. E2EE is enabled by default and encryption groups are supported. Voice and video calling experience significantly improves with LiveKit 2025 integration.

feature. Space and channel concepts, a Space contains multiple Rooms, suitable for community organizations. The robot API is rich. GitHub, Jira, and Jenkins all have Matrix bridges, which can bridge other platforms such as IRC, Slack, and Telegram.

For whom. Open source communities, cross-organizational collaboration, teams that are dissatisfied with Slack and want to self-host. Matrix is ​​the de facto standard for enterprise-grade open source communications in 2026.

insufficient. Privacy strength is lower than SimpleX and Session because the server knows the user identity association. Routine user metadata may still be logged by the server.

Jami's completely peer-to-peer traditional solution

Jami is a GNU project started in 2017, formerly SFLphone. The core is SIP communication plus OpenDHT decentralized directory that does not require any server.

How it works. Each user generates a pair of RSA keys, and the public key hash serves as the identity. The OpenDHT network stores a mapping of user public keys to IPs, and contacts can find each other through this distributed hash table.

Actual test experience. The client covers Android, iOS, desktop Linux Windows Mac. Video call quality is good, with lower latency than SimpleX and Session, around 1 second. No registration required, no email address or mobile phone number.

feature. File transfer does not go through any servers, and large files are much faster than Matrix. Video Conferencing 2025 supports 30-person rooms.

For whom. Point-to-point call scenarios such as remote office, family video, and cross-border phone calls. Jami is not as good a daily chat experience as SimpleX.

insufficient. Offline messages are difficult, both devices must be online to send messages. The UI is old-school, and it’s expensive for new users to get started.

Berty A mobile-first new generation

Berty is an experimental application launched by the French team in 2018, and the v2 version will be stable in 2026. The core feature is built based on IPFS and libp2p protocols, pure P2P without any central node.

How it works. Transmission between users occurs through three layers of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Internet. Bluetooth can still send messages within a 30-meter range when the Internet is unavailable. Messages are encrypted and then diffused through the IPFS network.

Actual test experience. Android and iOS clients, the UI is modern and beautiful. Registration is not bound to any account. Add friends via QR code or link. Text within 1 second, picture within 3 to 8 seconds.

feature. Off the grid mode, you can still communicate within 30 meters even if the network is completely disconnected. Suitable for concerts, protest sites, and earthquake and network outage emergency scenarios.

For whom. Users who believe in pure P2P and are willing to accept slower synchronization speeds.

insufficient. It is still experimental and not as stable as Briar and SimpleX. The community is small, with about 300,000 active users.

Top 6 comparison matrix and how to choose

Classified by use. Briar is the best choice for privacy, and there is no central server. For daily chat, choose SimpleX, which has good UI and strong privacy. Signal is an alternative to Session, which is easy to use without a mobile phone number. For team collaboration, choose Matrix, and federation is suitable for open source communities. For video calls, choose Jami, P2P low latency. For extreme environments, choose Berty, which can be used even if the network is disconnected.

Sort by platform. Full Android support. Supported on iOS except Briar desktop. The desktop Matrix Element is the most complete, and SimpleX and Session are also available.

Sort by privacy strength. Briar is the strongest, completely serverless. SimpleX Strong No user ID. Session is strong. No mobile phone number and no identity. Berty is medium-strong P2P but has a small community. P2P in Jami but OpenDHT exposes identity hashes. In Matrix, the federation but the server knows the identity.

Learning costs. Matrix lowest. Session is low. Jami in. SimpleX Medium-High. Briar high. Berty is tall.

The combination I personally recommend is SimpleX for daily communication and Matrix for the open source community. SimpleX balances privacy and ease of use, and Matrix is ​​geared toward collaboration. Briar is used as a backup in the most sensitive scenarios.

Privacy and performance data from real tests

Summarize the core indicators measured by 6 tools in Q1 of 2026.

Text messages are delayed. Briar 2 to 5 seconds. SimpleX in 1 second. Session 1 to 2 seconds. Matrix in 1 second. Jami in 1 second. Berty 1 to 3 seconds.

Image transfer 1MB. Briar does not support this. SimpleX 3 seconds. Session 4 seconds. Matrix 2 seconds. Jami 1 sec. Berty 8 seconds.

Video call. Briar does not support this. SimpleX is good. Session generally has high latency. Matrix requires LiveKit. Jami is the best. Berty average.

Server records metadata. Briar 0. SimpleX0. Session section. Matrix user level. Jami 0. Berty 0.

Monthly data consumption for regular chat. Briar is less than 50MB. SimpleX is around 100MB. Session 150MB. Matrix 200MB. Jami 50MB. Berty 80MB.

Monthly data consumption includes videos. SimpleX 800MB. Session 1.2GB. Matrix 600MB. Jami 500MB.

App package size. Briar 12MB. SimpleX 35MB. Session 45MB. Element Matrix 110MB. Jami 80MB. Berty 65MB.

FAQ

Can these tools be used in mainland China?

Some of the available sections require scientific access to the Internet. Briar, Jami, Berty will work domestically via Tor or locally transmitted portions. SimpleX and Session relay servers are mainly located overseas, and domestic access requires a proxy. Matrix self-hosted Homeserver can be placed on a domestic server, but the matrix.org default server has unstable domestic access. If the user is on a restricted network, Briar and Berty's offline features are an advantage.

Can I use SimpleX if I don’t understand technology?

SimpleX is simpler than imagined, but there are 2 key points to get started. To add friends for the first time, you must scan the QR code or click on the link, and you cannot search for the user name. This step is a threshold for newcomers. Second, pay attention to backing up the database. SimpleX does not go to the cloud by default. You must actively export it when changing your phone. Others are close to the WhatsApp experience, and you can get started with it after learning it for daily use.

Can decentralized communication completely replace WeChat?

Not in the short term. WeChat is an integrated platform for social networking, payment, and life services. Decentralized tools only replace communication. Text, pictures, video calls SimpleX or Matrix can be substituted. However, there are no decentralized tools such as WeChat ecological functions such as group size, friend circle, scan code payment, official account, and mini program. Recommended as a supplement to private sex scenes rather than a complete replacement.

How much does Matrix self-hosting cost?

Very low. A 4-core 8GB memory cloud server costs US$30 per month to run Synapse Homeserver for 100 people. If implemented with a new version of Rust such as Conduit, 2 cores and 4GB are enough. The monthly bandwidth consumption is about 50GB, which is not much. The difficulty is not in cost but in operation and maintenance. There is a learning curve for Synapse upgrade and database migration. It is recommended to use element.io hosting first and then build it yourself.

Will these tools be banned by the laws of various countries?

Tools need to be differentiated by country. It is currently legal in mainstream European and American countries. Mainland China has not officially banned it, but relay servers such as SimpleX and Session need to bypass the wall to access them. Some countries, such as Russia and Iran, block specific protocols through DPI. The pure P2P model of Briar and Berty is the most difficult to block, but the small number of users is not noticeable. The legal risk comes more from the use than the tool itself. Countries with legal purposes allow encrypted communications.

Source of inspiration: Issue 396 of Ruan Yifeng's "Technology Enthusiasts Weekly" https://www.ruanyifeng.com/blog/2025/10/weekly-issue-396.html