SimpleX Chat review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
SimpleX Chat is a free, open source messenger where messages, files and calls stay end-to-end encrypted, so it suits people who want private chat without a subscription. It runs on Android, iOS and Windows, was founded in 2021, and the Free plan costs nothing at entry or at renewal.
Key facts
- Best for
- Private messaging and calls on a free, open source plan with end-to-end encryption.
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Free (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Terminal CLI (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- Preset servers do not log IP addresses of the user devices that connect to them; messages are irreversibly removed from preset relay servers as soon as delivered or after 21 days; files kept 48 hours on preset file servers; only aggregate statistics collected. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- GB (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- SimpleX Chat Ltd (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2021 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
- Official website
- simplex.chat
Secure email
- Free plan limits
- Free (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- End-to-end encryption
- Messages, files and voice messages, plus audio and video calls, are end-to-end encrypted; relay servers cannot decrypt content (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- GB (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- SimpleX Chat Ltd (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2021 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- Messages, files, voice messages, audio and video calls are all end-to-end encrypted, and relay servers cannot decrypt the content
- It is open source and free, listed under free, with a Free plan in place
- It covers Android, iOS and Windows, so the same account works across phone and desktop
- Preset servers keep only aggregate statistics and do not log the addresses of the devices that connect to them
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, and a phone line is not among those channels
- The Free plan limits read free, so what the free tier covers is worth checking before you lean on it for large file sharing
Who it suits
- People who want private messages, files and calls without paying a subscription
- People comfortable reading open source code and checking how a messenger handles their data
- Readers who would rather work through a help centre and community answers than ring a support line
Who should look elsewhere
- EasyOptOuts, if your goal is data broker removal rather than a private messenger: EasyOptOuts has no free plan
- Posteo, if you want a private mailbox rather than messaging: Posteo has no free plan
- Surfshark, if you would rather pay for a subscription service: Surfshark has no free plan, so there is no free open source plan to set it beside
The company behind it
SimpleX Chat is run by SimpleX Chat Ltd, a company headquartered in the United Kingdom and registered under the same jurisdiction. It was founded in 2021, and it still answers its own users. Support runs on email, chat and help centre, so you can email the team, start a chat, work through the help centre, or ask the community. A phone line is not among email, chat and help centre, so the help is written rather than spoken.
How SimpleX Chat compares
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 9.5
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
How much does SimpleX Chat cost?+
SimpleX Chat lists a Free plan, and free reads free, so there is no entry price and no renewal price to weigh against each other. The Free plan's limits are free. For a messenger built on end-to-end encryption, that makes it an easy first step before you decide anything.
Is everything really end-to-end encrypted?+
Yes. Messages, files and voice messages are end-to-end encrypted, and so are audio and video calls, with relay servers unable to decrypt the content. That covers the whole conversation rather than just the text, and the app is free under free on Android, iOS and Windows.
Which platforms does it run on?+
SimpleX Chat runs on Android, iOS and Windows, so you can start on a phone and continue on a desktop without hunting for a second app. Support matches that reach, and you can use email, chat and help centre to get help on whichever device you are on.
Does it log my data?+
The preset servers keep nothing on the addresses of the devices that connect to them, and the only figures gathered are aggregate statistics. Delivered messages are wiped from the preset relays, undelivered ones clear out after a waiting period, and uploaded files are cleared from the file servers after a short window. The operator is SimpleX Chat Ltd in the United Kingdom.
Who runs SimpleX Chat and where are they based?+
It is operated by SimpleX Chat Ltd, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom and lists GB as its jurisdiction. The company was founded in 2021. The app is open source, and support is handled through email, chat and help centre rather than a phone line.
How do I get help?+
Support runs on email, chat and help centre, so you can email, ask in chat, use the help centre or join the community. Every route is written, which suits people who would rather keep support conversations on the record than talk through a call.
Is the Free plan free forever or just a trial?+
The Free plan is a standing option rather than a trial, and free reads free, so the cost at entry and the cost at renewal are the same. free sets what the plan covers, and Android, iOS and Windows lists where you can put it to work.
Is the app open source?+
Yes, and free is free, so the code and the app both cost nothing to obtain. Set that beside end-to-end encryption across messages, files, voice notes and calls, and it is a rare combination for a mainstream messenger.
Sources
- f-droid.org/packages/chat.simplex.app checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Pricing model
“SimpleX Chat - e2e encrypted messenger without any user IDs - private by design!”
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/search... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“SIMPLEX CHAT LTD 13691484 - Incorporated on 20 October 2021”
- simplex.chat checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan limits
“Be Free”
- simplex.chat/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“SimpleX: "Ask SimpleX team" contact in the app or this address ... You can follow our updates on social media: X/Twitter, Reddit, Mastodon and Nostr.”
- simplex.chat/downloads checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan, Platforms
“You can get the latest beta releases from GitHub.”
- simplex.chat/privacy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: End-to-end encryption, Headquarters, Jurisdiction, Legal entity, Logging policy, Open source
“Both messages and files are sent end-to-end encrypted, and the servers do not have technical means to compromise this encryption”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price from.
Related by the facts
SimpleX Chat
Private messaging and calls on a free, open source plan with end-to-end encryption.