Session Technology Foundation review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Session Technology Foundation suits readers who want private messaging with a VPN built in, plus a free tier that carries the basics. Pro costs $2.99 a month, and Quarkslab 2021 audited the no-logs claim behind open source code that runs on Linux, Windows and macOS.
Key facts
- Best for
- Open source private messaging with a built-in VPN and a free tier worth staying on.
- Monthly price
- $2.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- No-logs audit
- Quarkslab 2021 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CH (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- Session Protocol, WebRTC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Linux, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Owner
- Session Technology Foundation (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Session Technology Foundation (Session Technology Stiftung) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Switzerland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2020 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- No logs
- Pricing model
- Free
- Official website
- getsession.org
Privacy tools
- Price from
- $2.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Attachments up to 10MB; longer messages, unlimited pins, animated display pictures and badges are Pro-only (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Linux, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- Session Protocol, WebRTC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- No metadata or IP stored by the app; seed node sees IP but does not record it; Cloudflare keeps HTTP request logs for up to 7 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CH (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Session Technology Foundation (Session Technology Stiftung) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Switzerland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2020 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
Apps and profiles
Pros and cons
Pros
- Open source, with the no-logs listing in no logs checked by Quarkslab 2021.
- Available on Linux, Windows and macOS.
- Calls and routing run on Session Protocol and WebRTC.
- Most ranked services sit in the free model at 74.6%, and a free plan is included here too.
Cons
- Free plan limits: attachments are capped, and longer messages, unlimited pins, animated display pictures and badges need Pro.
- Help runs on email, help centre and community only, with no live chat or phone line among the listed channels.
- Logging policy: the seed node sees your IP address, and Cloudflare keeps request logs for a short period.
Who it suits
- Readers who want one app for private messaging and a VPN, across Linux, Windows and macOS.
- Readers who prefer open source software and a no-logs listing in no logs.
- Readers who mainly need the free plan and can live with help on email, help centre and community.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., if $0.99 a month is the figure that decides it.
- Sinew Software Systems, at $1.99 a month, when a slightly cheaper paid tier is enough.
- MEGA, at $3.99 a month, for readers willing to pay more than Pro at $2.99.
What you get free
A free plan is included, and the free model is listed among its plans. Attachments are capped on free accounts, and longer messages, unlimited pins, animated display pictures and badges are reserved for Pro. Those limits are the ones the free plan states; Pro lifts them, so the free account works as the starting point rather than a trial.
The company behind it
Session Technology Foundation (Session Technology Stiftung) is the legal entity behind the app, listing CH as its home country. The project dates from 2020, and the foundation is the operator. Support runs on email, help centre and community, so questions go to email, the help centre or the community rather than a phone line.
How Session Technology Foundation compares
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 9.5
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
What does the free plan include?+
A free plan is included, and the free model is listed among its plans. Attachments are capped on free accounts, while longer messages, unlimited pins, animated display pictures and badges are Pro-only. The Pro tier starts at $2.99 a month, so the free account is a working setup rather than a short trial.
What does Pro cost at the start and at renewal?+
Pro is listed at $2.99 a month, with $2.99 as the entry price. Both figures point at the same Pro plan name, so the monthly figure is the one to budget against at entry and at renewal.
Has the no-logs claim been audited?+
The feature list at no logs names no-logs, and Quarkslab 2021 carried out the audit. The logging policy explains that the app stores no metadata or IP addresses, that the seed node sees an IP address without recording it, and that Cloudflare holds web request logs for a short period.
Who runs Session and where are they based?+
The app is run by Session Technology Foundation (Session Technology Stiftung), which lists CH as its home country. The project dates from 2020, and the foundation is the operator behind it.
Which platforms does Session support?+
Session runs on Linux, Windows and macOS. The listed platforms span desktop and mobile, so one account covers a laptop and a phone instead of a single device family.
How do I get help when something goes wrong?+
Support runs on email, help centre and community, meaning email, a help centre and the community. Live chat and phone lines are not among those listed, so urgent questions are better aimed at the help centre or community threads.
How does the monthly price compare with the alternatives?+
Pro is listed at $2.99 a month. Among the alternatives, Sinew Software Systems charges $1.99 a month, Apple Inc. charges $0.99, and MEGA charges $3.99, so Session sits below MEGA and above the two cheaper figures.
Who is Session a good fit for?+
Readers who want open source messaging with a VPN in the same app, and who are content with support on email, help centre and community. Call traffic runs on Session Protocol and WebRTC, so readers who compare protocols should check those first.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_(software) checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Release February 2020”
- getsession.org checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Open source
“Your data is never collected, never tracked, and never sold to third parties.”
- getsession.org/faq checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Pricing model, No-logs audit, Owner, Protocols, Support channels
“While Session itself is a decentralised, global ecosystem, its steward is based in Switzerland.”
- getsession.org/privacy-policy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Logging policy
“We don't store any identifying information about your device, such as your IP address or your user agent.”
- getsession.org/pro checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan, Free plan limits, Price from, Monthly price
“Is Session still free?”
- getsession.org/terms-of-service checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Jurisdiction, Platforms
“The laws of Zug, Switzerland govern our Terms, as well as any disputes”
- session.foundation checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“Session Technology Foundation (Session Technology Stiftung) 2025”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Long-term plan price, Devices, Server countries.
Related by the facts
Session Technology Foundation
Open source private messaging with a built-in VPN and a free tier worth staying on.