Thanks in part to the several large leaks of user data, people are much more cognizant of privacy online. We have a very active ecosystem of developers making apps that encrypt messages end-to-end, preventing snooping and any future release of those messages to anyone. Here is a list of some of the best encrypted messaging apps available today:
Signal
Most users interested in encrypting their messages have heard of Signal. It is by Open Whisper Systems, and you can use it on both Android and iOS. The app allows the user to send text messages, voice calls, group messages, media and attachments to your phone contacts. Also, you can set time limits for the messages, so they self-destruct after a given period. With the new Chrome browser extension, users now have access to Signal on their desktops.
Silent Phone
Silent Circle is a provider of secure communications and is the company behind the privacy-focused Blackphone. The company also has one of the better messaging apps in the market: Silent Phone. The app is available for both iOS and Android users. The encryption keys are on the user’s phones, so there is no way any authority can compel Silent Phone to provide the keys.
Telegram
Telegram is probably the most popular of all secure messaging apps. The app uses client-to-server encryption for messaging, however, if you want secure messaging there is also an end-to-end encryption option for chat. The only drawback of Telegram is the use of a non-standard encryption methodology rather than the proven industry standards.