Messaging
European messenger alternatives to WhatsApp, Slack and Teams. End-to-end encrypted and without US data transfer.
- 5 providers
- From 0 EUR
- 5 Open Source
- Updated 2026
In detail
What European messengers do differently
The CLOUD Act requires US companies to share data with US authorities, which is why services like WhatsApp (Meta) and Telegram draw criticism from privacy-conscious users. The messengers listed here rely consistently on end-to-end encryption and operate without a US parent company. Element, Threema, Olvid, Delta Chat and SimpleX Chat also reduce the metadata they collect, for example by not requiring a phone number or a central user database. Federated, open-source approaches such as Element (Matrix) or Delta Chat (email protocol) allow you to run your own servers on EU infrastructure.
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All Providers in Detail
Hand-picked European messaging services. All providers verified and compared.
Element
Decentralized messenger based on the Matrix protocol
- Federated Matrix protocol, no central control
- End-to-end encryption (Olm/Megolm)
- Self-hosting or managed EU cloud available
- Used by German and French government agencies
Threema
Messenger without mandatory phone number registration from Switzerland
- No phone number required, fully anonymous
- End-to-end encryption for all messages
- No metadata storage
- Open source since 2020
Olvid
ANSSI-certified messenger without central user database from France
- ANSSI-certified (CSPN)
- No phone number or email required
- Proprietary cryptographic protocols, independent of Signal protocol
- Share files without size limits
Delta Chat
Open-source messenger using the email protocol from Germany
- Email protocol as transport, no dedicated account or phone number
- End-to-end encryption by default (OpenPGP/Autocrypt) since version 2
- Federated: works with any email server or Chatmail relay
- Cross-platform (Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows)
SimpleX Chat
Messenger without user identifiers from the United Kingdom
- No profile, no user IDs, no phone number
- End-to-end encryption with post-quantum protection
- Federated: own server hosting possible
- Open source under AGPLv3
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CLOUD Act and why does it affect messengers?
The CLOUD Act allows US authorities to demand data from US companies regardless of where it is stored. WhatsApp belongs to Meta (USA) and is subject to this regulation. The European messengers listed here have no US parent company and therefore fall outside the reach of the CLOUD Act.
Which messengers work without a phone number?
Threema uses an anonymous ID instead of a phone number, Olvid requires neither a phone number nor an email address, and SimpleX Chat avoids permanent user IDs entirely. Element is based on the Matrix protocol with a freely chosen username. Delta Chat uses an existing email account as its identity.
What does metadata minimization mean with these services?
Even with end-to-end encryption, metadata can reveal who communicates with whom and when. Threema stores no contact lists or communication metadata, Olvid operates without a central user database, and SimpleX Chat generates temporary addresses per contact relationship. These approaches reduce the data trail beyond the message content itself.
Which messengers run on EU infrastructure?
Element (Matrix) and Delta Chat (email protocol) are federated and can run entirely on your own EU servers. SimpleX Chat allows self-hosting of its servers in the EU. Threema operates its own servers in Switzerland, while Olvid is migrating its infrastructure to the French provider Clever Cloud with SecNumCloud certification as its goal.
Are these messengers open source?
All five messengers listed here are open source and therefore independently auditable. Element is licensed under Apache 2.0 / AGPL, Threema and SimpleX Chat under AGPLv3, Olvid uses proprietary cryptographic protocols, and Delta Chat is under GPLv3. Open source lets experts verify the encryption and data behavior.
Which messenger fits which use case?
For teams and government agencies, Element offers rooms, threads and self-hosting. Threema and Olvid focus on simple, anonymous one-to-one and group chats, and Olvid is additionally certified by the French authority ANSSI. Delta Chat suits anyone who wants to use existing email accounts, while SimpleX Chat targets maximum anonymity at the protocol level.