Whether it be day-to-day activities, spontaneous trips, work matters, or planned travels, a messaging app is really handy for instant communication. With increasing concerns over cyber threats, however, you couldn’t really get enough of security. With this, here are five secure messaging apps you should consider as a daily companion.

All of these messaging apps are free and available in Android and iOS.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is known for its use of end-to-end encryption, which makes sure that only you and the person talking to have access to your conversations. Yes, not even WhatsApp can see what you’re talking about. In this app, you receive standard features like calls, group chats, and custom wallpapers. You can also send photos, videos, stickers, gifs, and documents through WhatsApp.

Another feature you might find handy is unsending messages, helpful whenever you make typos. WhatsApp’s interface is relatively simple and pleasing to the eye, making it good as a daily driver for your conversations.

Telegram

Telegram’s claim to fame is that it is more secure than WhatsApp. It uses a MTProto mobile protocol which makes security compatible with speed, important on areas with weak connections.

Telegram provides you with the standard messaging features earlier mentioned. Similar to WhatsApp, you have the option to unsend messages in Telegram. What sets it apart from WhatsApp is that it allows synchronization across multiple devices.  All of your chat history is also stored in the cloud, so no need to worry about memory allocation.

Apart from this, Telegram has photo editing functionalities. It also enables the user to send GIFs which makes conversations more fun and interactive.

Signal

What makes Signal tick is its open source peer-reviewed cryptographic protocols, allowing anyone to ensure the security of the application. Aside from this, it has standard messaging features. Signal was also popularised after former NSA whistle-blower endorsed the app.

On the downside, it lacks the unsend option. This isn’t a complete bummer though. Unlike other popular messaging apps, Signal also does not have stickers, gif messages or other fancy graphics. Signal is also not yet compatible with tablets, which we look forward to changing in the next updates.

Wickr

Wickr uses advanced end-to-end encryption to maintain security. Again, it offers standard messaging app features. What sets Wickr apart from the previous apps is that it doesn’t require your phone number or email to register, which is great if you don’t want to give away such private information.

Wickr is also an ephemeral messaging app, meaning your messages will self-destruct after an interval of time you will specify.

Wire

Unlike the previous four apps, Wire is specifically designed for collaborative work. Calls, messages, and files are all encrypted, making your company’s interactions secured. In addition, an encrypted guest room can also be generated in the app if you need to communicate with clients, even if they do not have Wire. It is also available in a wide array of devices and operating systems, making your transfer from one device to another seamless.