What is Threema?
| Category | Messengers |
|---|---|
| Company | Threema AG (app sold by Threema GmbH) |
| Headquarters | Switzerland (EFTA) |
| Founded | 2014 (app since 2012) |
| Ownership | Comitis Capital GmbH (Germany), since 2026 |
| Price | €6.49 one-off · free plan: no |
| Platforms | iOS · Android · Windows · macOS · Linux · Web |
| Open source | Yes (apps) |
| Data hosted in | Switzerland · own servers in Zurich |
| Alternative to |
Who is behind Threema
Threema is an end-to-end encrypted messenger from Switzerland. Three Swiss developers started building the app in 2012, and the company was founded in spring 2014. Today the app is sold by Threema GmbH, part of Threema AG. Afinum Management took a majority stake in 2020; since the start of 2026, Threema has been owned by Comitis Capital GmbH, a German investment firm. Threema says its core values, mission and management stay the same, and that its headquarters and servers remain in Switzerland.
Threema is financed by app sales and its business products (Threema Work and Threema OnPrem), not by advertising. It passed 10 million users in 2021, according to its own timeline.
Where Threema hosts your data
Threema says it runs its own servers in an ISO 27001-certified data centre in Zurich, in geographically separated high-security locations in Switzerland. Its website runs on the Swiss provider Nine Internet Solutions (AS29691). The servers only relay messages: they are deleted after delivery, or after 14 days at most if the recipient does not come online. One exception to the Swiss-only rule: Threema says the media routers for group calls may be located outside Switzerland.
| Domain | Used for | Hosting provider | ASN | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| threema.com | website | Nine Internet Solutions AG | AS29691 | Switzerland |
Checked 25 Oct 2026. Hosting can change – report a change.
Threema pricing
Threema is not free. You buy the app once: CHF 5.99, €6.49 or $7.49 in the Threema Shop (for Android), and €7.99 on the German App Store. Threema says there are no recurring fees and nothing extra to buy. The catch is that a licence is tied to the store you bought it from, so moving from Android to iPhone means buying it again. For companies there is Threema Work, with a 30-day free trial for up to 30 users, and Threema offers a 30% discount for NGOs.
Compared with WhatsApp, which is free and since 2026 shows ads in the Updates tab in Europe, Threema asks for a small one-off payment – but it also asks your contacts to pay before they can chat with you.
Security and privacy
Messages, calls and files are end-to-end encrypted. You sign up with a random Threema ID, and linking a phone number or email address is optional, so you can use Threema without revealing either. The apps are open source, and on Android you can check with reproducible builds that the app in the store matches the published code. Threema lists several external reviews: an audit by the Lab for IT Security at Münster University of Applied Sciences (2019), a Cure53 audit of the mobile apps (2020), a formal security proof of its Ibex protocol by researchers at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (2023) and a Cure53 audit of the new desktop app (2024).
Besides the Android and iPhone apps, Threema has a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux and a web client, which you link to your phone with a QR code. Group calls work with up to 16 people on the private app.
What users say about Threema
On Trustpilot Threema has 3.1/5 from 56 reviews (checked 25 October 2026), a small sample. The app stores show a bigger picture: 4.2/5 from about 75,500 reviews on Google Play, with 5 million+ downloads, and 4.2/5 from 8,234 ratings on the German App Store. Reviewers praise the default encryption, that no phone number is needed and that messaging and calls work reliably. The complaints are about slow support, a basic desktop and web experience, the lack of a proper auto-delete feature and that few friends use Threema.
Pros and cons
Pros of Threema
- Strong privacy – no phone number or email needed
- Complete feature set – groups, voice and video calls, group calls, desktop app
- Fair one-off price with no subscription and no extras to buy
- Trustworthy open-source apps with reproducible builds and external audits
- Safe Swiss servers in an ISO 27001-certified data centre in Zurich
Cons of Threema
- Not free – everyone you chat with has to buy it
- No licence transfer between Android and iPhone
- Small user base compared with WhatsApp
- Slow support, according to Trustpilot reviewers
Verdict on Threema
Verdict: Threema is the most complete European replacement for WhatsApp: groups, voice messages, calls, group calls and a desktop app, on Swiss servers and without a phone number. The one-off price is fair, but it is also the main hurdle, because your family and friends have to buy it too. The 2026 change of owner to a German investment firm has not changed anything for users so far. Best for: people leaving WhatsApp who want the same features without a phone number. Not for: anyone whose contacts will not pay for a messenger.
Threema is ranked #1 in Best European alternatives to WhatsApp and in Best European messengers.
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Threema: FAQ
Is Threema a Swiss company?
Yes. Threema is developed in Switzerland and its headquarters and servers are there. Since the start of 2026 the company has been owned by Comitis Capital, a German investment firm.
Is Threema free?
No. Threema costs a one-off CHF 5.99 or €6.49 in the Threema Shop and €7.99 on the German App Store. There are no subscriptions or paid extras.
Does Threema need a phone number?
No. You get a random Threema ID when you sign up. Linking a phone number or email address is optional and only helps your contacts find you.
Is Threema better than WhatsApp?
For privacy, yes: no phone number is needed, the apps are open source, the servers are in Switzerland and there are no ads. WhatsApp is free and most people already have it, which makes it easier to reach everyone.
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Based on public pricing, documentation and user reviews · Changelog · Oct 2026: first version