8 Best European Alternatives to WhatsApp (2026), Compared

The best European alternative to WhatsApp is Threema (Switzerland): it does almost everything WhatsApp does – groups, voice and video calls, group calls, desktop use – needs no phone number and costs a one-off €6.49 with no subscription. If you want an EU company and a free app, pick Olvid from France, which holds two security visas from the French cybersecurity agency ANSSI.

I wrote this ranking for people who like WhatsApp’s free chats, groups and calls but no longer want their data with Meta. In Europe, WhatsApp is provided by WhatsApp Ireland Limited, but its privacy policy says it shares your phone number, device identifiers and usage information with other Meta companies in the UK, Israel and the United States for business analytics, and it collects data for ads when you use Status or Channels. Since March 2026, ads have also appeared in the Updates tab for users in Europe. The messengers below come from Switzerland, France, Germany and the UK and live from app sales, subscriptions, business plans or donations instead. I compared ten and kept eight – with who is behind each one, where its servers are, what it costs and what you lose compared with WhatsApp.

What are the best European alternatives to WhatsApp?

If you only have a minute: these are the European messengers I would switch to from WhatsApp, in order. Each one is reviewed in detail below.

1. Threema (Switzerland) – the most complete WhatsApp replacement, no phone number needed, €6.49 once. Best for most people leaving WhatsApp.
2. Olvid (France) – free, certified by ANSSI, no phone number. Best for an EU messenger at no cost.
3. Wire (Switzerland/Germany) – free personal accounts, apps for every device, servers in Germany and Ireland. Best for desktop and work use.
4. Element (UK) – free messenger on the open, federated Matrix network. Best for communities and self-hosting.
5. Session (Switzerland) – free, no phone number or email, onion-routed messages. Best for anonymity.
6. Delta Chat (Germany) – free and open source, runs on independent relays. Best for decentralisation on a German stack.
7. TeleGuard (Switzerland) – a simple messenger from Swisscows with Swiss servers. Best for a WhatsApp-style app without a phone number.
8. SimpleX Chat (UK) – the only messenger with no user identifiers at all. Best for maximum privacy.

WhatsApp alternatives compared

Prices from public pricing pages. Affiliate links and sponsored placements are labelled.

“Data hosted in” shows where each messenger says its servers are, checked against a DNS and ASN lookup of its main domain (25 Oct 2026). Decentralised networks like Session, Delta Chat and SimpleX Chat use servers run by many operators.

How I compared the WhatsApp alternatives

I looked at ten messengers from Europe and kept eight. The order is driven by how much of WhatsApp you keep after switching – groups, calls, desktop apps, an app your friends can install in a minute – then by privacy and sovereignty, then by price. Concretely, I weighed five things:

• Jurisdiction and ownership – where the company or foundation is registered, who owns it and where its servers are.
• Feature match with WhatsApp – one-to-one and group chats, voice messages, voice and video calls, group calls, desktop apps and multi-device use.
• Privacy – end-to-end encryption, whether you need a phone number, how much metadata the service sees, open-source code and independent audits.
• Price – free or paid, one-off or subscription, and which features cost extra.
• What users say – ratings on Trustpilot, Google Play and the App Store, read together with the number of reviews.

I left out Signal: it is an excellent messenger, but it is run by the Signal Technology Foundation, a US 501(c)(3) non-profit, so it does not fit a list of European companies. I also left out ginlo from Munich. It is free with servers in Germany, but its new ginlo2 app has only 2.9/5 from 43 ratings on the German App Store, so I would wait. All data comes from the providers’ own websites, pricing, legal and security pages, app store listings and Trustpilot, checked on 25 October 2026.

The best European alternatives to WhatsApp, reviewed

Each messenger below gets the same treatment: who is behind it, what users say, what it replaces from WhatsApp, pros and cons, and my opinion.

1. Threema

The most complete European WhatsApp replacement – Swiss, no phone number needed, one-off price

Threema has been developed in Switzerland since 2012 by three Swiss developers; the company was founded in 2014. The app is sold by Threema GmbH, part of Threema AG. Since the start of 2026, Threema has been owned by Comitis Capital GmbH, a German investment firm, which took over from Afinum, the previous majority owner. Threema says its headquarters and servers stay in Switzerland.

What users say. On Trustpilot Threema has 3.1/5 from 56 reviews, a small sample. In the app stores the picture is better: 4.2/5 from about 75,500 reviews on Google Play (5 million+ downloads) and 4.2/5 from 8,234 ratings on the German App Store. Reviewers praise the encryption; complaints are about slow support and a dated desktop experience. WhatsApp itself scores 1.4/5 from 1,711 reviews on Trustpilot.

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. You keep one-to-one and group chats, voice messages, file sharing, voice and video calls and group calls with up to 16 people, plus a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux and a web client. Everything is end-to-end encrypted, the apps are open source and externally audited, and you sign up with a random Threema ID – linking a phone number or email is optional. Servers delete messages after delivery, or after 14 days at most. What you lose: friends have to pay to join you, a licence does not move from Android to iPhone, and group-call media routers may be outside Switzerland.

Facts: HQ Switzerland · developed since 2012, company founded 2014 · CHF 5.99 / €6.49 / $7.49 one-off in the Threema Shop (€7.99 on the German App Store) · free plan: no · no subscriptions and no extras to buy · open-source apps · over 10 million users (2021).

Switching from WhatsApp: moderate – the app feels familiar, but your contacts have to buy it before you can move a group over.

My take: Threema is the closest European match for WhatsApp: the same everyday features, Swiss servers and no phone number. The one-off price is low, but it is also the biggest obstacle – you have to convince your family to pay. The 2026 sale to a German investment firm changed nothing for users so far, but keep an eye on it. Best for: anyone leaving WhatsApp who wants the same features without a phone number. Not for: people whose friends will not pay for a messenger.

Visit threema.com →

2. Olvid

A free French messenger with two security visas from ANSSI – no phone number, no address book upload

Olvid is made by Olvid SAS, a company registered in Paris (26 rue Vignon). It was founded by Thomas Baignères (CEO), Matthieu Finiasz (CTO), Jacques-André Bondy and Cédric Sylvestre and came out of the Agoranov incubator in Paris (2017–2019). Olvid says it is the first and only messenger with two security visas (CSPN) from ANSSI, the French cybersecurity agency. Its privacy policy says it uses AWS servers – Olvid says they play no role in security, but it is a US cloud.

What users say. Olvid has 4.4/5 from about 2,690 reviews on Google Play (500,000+ downloads) and 4.0/5 from only 14 ratings on the German App Store. Its Trustpilot profile has just one review (3.7/5).

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. The free version gives you unlimited messages and attachments, group chats, editing and unsending, disappearing messages, multiple profiles, Olvid Web and incoming calls. You need no phone number and no SIM card, and you add contacts by scanning or sharing a code instead of uploading your address book. What you lose: outgoing calls and using Olvid on several devices are only a one-month trial on the free plan – after that they cost €4.99 a month. Adding contacts takes more work than on WhatsApp, and the public-key cryptography is not yet post-quantum.

Facts: HQ France (Paris) · Olvid SAS · free plan: yes, forever · paid upgrade €4.99/month incl. tax via the app stores (App Store also lists €49.90/year, and a family option at €6.99/month or €69.90/year) · two ANSSI CSPN certifications (iOS 2020, Android 2021) · open source · servers on AWS.

Switching from WhatsApp: moderate – sign-up takes a minute, but each contact has to be added by code or invitation.

My take: Olvid is my pick if you want a European company inside the EU and a free app. It sits second because free users cannot make outgoing calls after the trial, and because the servers run on AWS – even if Olvid says they never see your data. Best for: people who want a free messenger from an EU company. Not for: heavy callers who will not pay a subscription.

Visit olvid.io →

3. Wire

A European business messenger with free personal accounts and apps for every device

Wire was founded in 2012 with roots in Germany and Switzerland. The service and apps are run by Wire Swiss GmbH in Zug, Switzerland, while the group’s headquarters and development are in Berlin, under Wire Group Holdings GmbH. Wire says European institutional investors hold more than 90% of the group, including Skype co-founder Janus Friis, Cipio Partners, the Schwarz Group and UVC Partners Wire says its servers are in Germany and Ireland.

What users say. Wire has 3.4/5 from about 36,800 reviews on Google Play (5 million+ downloads) and 3.4/5 from 762 ratings on the German App Store. I could not read its Trustpilot page on 25 October 2026.

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. Wire gives you end-to-end encrypted chats, voice and video calls, file sharing and apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, macOS and the browser – a better desktop experience than WhatsApp. Wire co-initiated the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) standard and says it is fully secured by MLS; the code is open source on GitHub, and the company is ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certified. A free personal account is offered for friends and family. What you lose: Wire is built and marketed for businesses today, so the personal account is not the focus.

Facts: HQ Switzerland (Zug) for the service, group HQ Germany (Berlin) · founded 2012 · personal account: free · Wire for Free: teams of up to 5 · SMB €7.45/person/month billed yearly, €8.94 monthly · used by 1,800+ organisations.

Switching from WhatsApp: moderate – easy to set up on every device, but you will have to bring your contacts over yourself.

My take: Wire is the most polished European messenger on the desktop and its ownership is clearly European. It ranks third because the company’s attention is on business customers, and the app ratings are mediocre. Best for: people who chat as much from the computer as from the phone. Not for: families looking for the simplest WhatsApp-style app.

Visit wire.com →

4. Element

A free messenger on the open Matrix network – federated, self-hostable, British

Element is made by Element Creations Ltd, registered in London (UK), with subsidiaries in Rennes (France), Düsseldorf (Germany) and Delaware (USA). The UK is European but outside the EU and EFTA – I include Element because it is the best-known app for Matrix, an open, federated chat standard: you can create your account on any server, including one in the EU or your own.

What users say. The new Element X app has 3.6/5 from 137 ratings on the German App Store. Element has 2.7/5 from 10 reviews on Trustpilot. Complaints are about delayed notifications, spam profiles and data loss after an update.

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. Element X gives you end-to-end encrypted chats and video calls built on Matrix, with Element apps for iPhone, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and the web. You can talk to anyone on any Matrix server, a bit like email. The apps are free, Element offers a free Community plan for non-professional use, and organisations can run their own servers. What you lose: choosing a server and verifying devices is more complicated than WhatsApp, the company behind the app is in the UK, and your friends are unlikely to be on Matrix already.

Facts: HQ United Kingdom (London) · Element Creations Ltd · subsidiaries in France and Germany · free for personal use · Matrix open standard · self-hosting possible.

Switching from WhatsApp: hard – the app is fine, but Matrix accounts and servers take some explaining.

My take: Element is the right tool if you want control: your own server, an open standard and no single company in charge. As a WhatsApp replacement for your parents it is too complicated, and the company is British, which is why it sits fourth. Best for: tech-savvy users, communities and organisations that want their own server. Not for: families moving a group chat from WhatsApp.

Visit element.io →

5. Session

A free, anonymous messenger with no phone number, no email and onion-routed messages

Session is stewarded by the Session Technology Foundation (Session Technology Stiftung), a Swiss foundation under the law of the canton of Zug. It took over on 15 October 2024 from the OPTF, an Australian non-profit, which handed off the project because of the regulatory climate for encrypted messaging in Australia. The iPhone app is still listed under Rangeproof PTY LTD, an Australian company. Session’s website carries a donation appeal: it says donations now secure a smaller team working into 2027.

What users say. Session has 4.7/5 from about 36,500 reviews on Google Play (5 million+ downloads) and 4.4/5 from 730 ratings on the German App Store – the best ratings in this list with a large number of reviews. Its Trustpilot profile has only 3 reviews (4.0/5).

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. You get end-to-end encrypted one-to-one and group chats with up to 100 people and attachments, with apps for Android, iPhone and desktop. You need no phone number or email, and messages are onion-routed so the network cannot see who you are. The code is open source and the clients have been audited by Quarkslab. What you lose: voice and video calls are a beta feature, off by default, one-to-one only, and they share your IP address with the other person and a server run by the foundation.

Facts: HQ Switzerland (Session Technology Foundation, Zug law) · Australian roots until October 2024 · free; optional Session Pro features · audited by Quarkslab.

Switching from WhatsApp: moderate – setup is instant, but you share a long Session ID or QR code instead of your number.

My take: Session is the most anonymous free messenger here, and users clearly like it. As a full WhatsApp replacement it falls short on calls, and the foundation’s money worries mean I would not move my only family chat there yet. Best for: people who want to chat without revealing who they are. Not for: anyone who relies on WhatsApp calls.

Visit getsession.org →

6. Delta Chat

A free, open-source messenger from Freiburg that runs on independent relays

Delta Chat is developed by merlinux GmbH in Freiburg, Germany, managed by Holger Krekel. The app and the server software are free and open source. Delta Chat says it takes no venture capital and is funded by public grants and donations. Messages go through “chatmail” relays run by independent groups and people, not by the developers – so there is no central server, and no single place where your data is.

What users say. Delta Chat has 4.2/5 from about 3,030 reviews on Google Play (1 million+ downloads) and 4.5/5 from 108 ratings on the German App Store. I could not read a Trustpilot page for it.

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. You get end-to-end encrypted chats by default, groups, one-to-one audio and video calls on most platforms, multiple profiles and multiple devices. Relays ask for no phone number or personal data. It has been audited by Include Security (2019, 2020), Cure53 (2023), ETH Zurich (2024) and Radically Open Security (2024). What you lose: there is no web client, groups larger than 150 people are not recommended, and the encryption has no forward secrecy or post-quantum protection yet – Delta Chat plans both with Autocrypt v2 in 2026.

Facts: HQ Germany (Freiburg) · merlinux GmbH · free, funded by grants and donations · open source, app and server · six audits since 2019.

Switching from WhatsApp: moderate – the app works like a normal messenger, but you invite friends by link or QR code.

My take: Delta Chat is a clever, honest project from Germany and the audit list is impressive. It ranks sixth because the decentralised relay model is harder to explain to family than WhatsApp, and the missing forward secrecy puts it behind Threema and Olvid on encryption. Best for: people who want a free, decentralised messenger from an EU developer. Not for: users who want one company to be responsible for the servers.

Visit delta.chat →

7. TeleGuard

A simple WhatsApp-style messenger from Swisscows with Swiss servers and no phone number

TeleGuard is made by Swisscows AG in Egnach, Switzerland, the company behind the Swisscows search engine. TeleGuard says all its servers are in data centres in Switzerland and that the app is financed by donations.

What users say. TeleGuard has 3.7/5 from about 6,100 reviews on Google Play (1 million+ downloads) and 3.8/5 from 286 ratings on the German App Store. It has 3.3/5 from 12 reviews on Trustpilot; a recent complaint is about messages arriving late and calls not working.

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. TeleGuard gives you encrypted chats and calls in an app that looks and feels like WhatsApp, on Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS, Linux and the web. Instead of a phone number you get a 9-digit TeleGuard ID, and TeleGuard says it collects no user identification data. What you lose: TeleGuard does not say the app is open source, and I found no independent audit on its website. On the German App Store the iPhone app costs €3.99, and extras such as a personalised ID (€2.99) or extended calls (€3.99) are in-app purchases.

Facts: HQ Switzerland (Egnach) · Swisscows AG · Android free, iPhone €3.99 on the German App Store · in-app extras from €0.99 · servers in Switzerland · no phone number (9-digit ID) · open source: not stated.

Switching from WhatsApp: easy – the layout is very close to WhatsApp, you just share your ID.

My take: TeleGuard is the easiest app here to hand to someone who only knows WhatsApp. But without open code or a published audit you have to trust Swisscows on its word, and that is why it sits behind the open-source options. Best for: people who want a familiar, simple app with Swiss servers. Not for: privacy-minded users who want open code and audits.

Visit teleguard.com →

8. SimpleX Chat

The most private messenger in this list – no phone number, no username, no user ID at all

SimpleX Chat is developed by SimpleX Chat Ltd, registered in London, United Kingdom (company number 13691484), under English law. The UK is European but outside the EU and EFTA – I include SimpleX Chat because its privacy design is unique. Anyone can run SimpleX servers, and the company says it is funded by its users, with an equity crowdfunding round open on Wefunder.

What users say. SimpleX Chat has 4.1/5 from about 2,850 reviews on Google Play (1 million+ downloads) and 4.4/5 from 97 ratings on the German App Store. Its Trustpilot profile has only 2 reviews.

What it replaces from WhatsApp – and what it doesn’t. SimpleX Chat gives you encrypted chats, groups and file sharing on desktop, iPhone and Android, plus a terminal app. It calls itself the only messaging network without any user identifiers – not even random ones. Its security was audited by Trail of Bits in 2022 and 2024. What you lose: there is no way to find friends by phone number or name; every contact needs a one-time link or QR code. It is the least WhatsApp-like app here.

Facts: HQ United Kingdom (London) · SimpleX Chat Ltd · free apps · open source · servers can be run by anyone.

Switching from WhatsApp: hard – privacy by design means every contact has to be invited by link or QR code.

My take: SimpleX Chat is the most private design I found, but it is also the furthest from WhatsApp’s ease of use, and the company is outside the EU. Best for: people for whom metadata privacy matters more than convenience. Not for: anyone who wants to move a big family group.

Visit simplex.chat →

What European messengers cost compared with WhatsApp

WhatsApp costs nothing, and since 2026 users in Europe also see ads in its Updates tab. Most European messengers are free too, funded by business plans, in-app extras or donations. Threema is the exception: you pay once and never again.

Prices as shown on each provider’s website or on the German App Store on 25 October 2026, in the currency shown there. App store prices can differ by country.

How to switch from WhatsApp to a European messenger

1. Agree on one app with your most important group. A switch works when the family or friends group moves together.
2. Save what you want to keep. Chat history does not move between messengers, so save important photos, files and messages first.
3. Invite your contacts. Share your new ID, link or QR code in your WhatsApp groups.
4. Run both apps for a few weeks. Keep WhatsApp until the important people have moved.
5. Delete your WhatsApp account, not just the app. Removing the app alone leaves your account in place.

WhatsApp alternatives: FAQ

My verdict: which European messenger to switch to

Most people leaving WhatsApp should go to Threema: it keeps groups, voice messages and calls, needs no phone number, runs on Swiss servers and costs a one-off €6.49. If it must be free and inside the EU, choose Olvid – just know that outgoing calls need a subscription after the trial. If you chat a lot from your computer, Wire has the best desktop apps, and if anonymity matters most, Session asks for nothing at all.

Whatever you choose, move one group at a time and keep WhatsApp running until the people who matter have followed you – that is what makes a messenger switch stick.