SimpleX Chat vs Wire
Two of the top three secure messaging apps, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- SimpleX Chat has 86 points and Wire 78, 8 apart on our secure messaging apps rules.
- SimpleX Chat earns more on source and audits; Wire earns more on chats and calls.
- Cost for one person: SimpleX Chat $0, Wire $0.
- Only SimpleX Chat meets: post-quantum key exchange and independent audit since 2022.
- Only Wire meets: encrypted backups and largest group chat.
86/100 #1 of 12
Best for: People who want a messenger that holds no account identifier or phone number.
Wire78/100 #3 of 12
Best for: People who want default encryption and open-source apps without handing over a phone number.
Points by group
| Group | SimpleX Chat | Wire |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption of 20 | 16 | 16 |
| Source and audits of 26 | 22 | 12 |
| Sign-up and identity of 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Chats and calls of 14 | 10 | 12 |
| Systems of 16 | 14 | 14 |
| Price of 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Total | 86 | 78 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | SimpleX Chat | Wire |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encrypted by default (12) | Yes 12 | Yes 12 |
| Post-quantum key exchange (4) | Yes 4 | Not published 0 |
| Encrypted backups (4) | Not published 0 | Yes 4 |
| Open-source apps (8) | Yes 8 | Yes 8 |
| Independent audit since 2022 (10) | Yes 10 | Not published 0 |
| Public bug bounty (4) | Not published 0 | No 0 |
| Transparency report (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| No phone number needed (12) | Yes 12 | Yes 12 |
| Contacts by username (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| Disappearing messages (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Largest group chat (4) | Not published 0 | 500 2 |
| Encrypted voice and video calls (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Apps (12) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android 10 | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web 10 |
| Windows works without the phone (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| Cost for one person (8) | $0 8 | $0 8 |
SimpleX Chat
SimpleX Chat suits people who want to chat without handing over a phone number or any account ID, with open code and outside reviews behind it. Its transparency report covers 2025. The catch: no web app, calls are one-to-one only, and disappearing messages need set-up by the people involved.
Wire
Wire suits people who want encryption by default, open-source apps and an account that does not need a phone number. The free plan covers chats and encrypted calls. The catch: Wire names no outside audit on its pages, has no bug bounty, and the pricing page focuses on teams rather than personal accounts.
Both products are scored by the same rules: how we score secure messaging apps.