Alternatives to Jami
Fully distributed P2P messenger from GNU
Jami ranks #2 of 11 in Personal messaging, with an Alt Score of 81. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, free and available on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
People and organizations who want a fully private messenger and calling app with no central server involved, including privacy-conscious individuals, developers, and anyone needing GPLv3 free/libre software.
End-to-end encrypted text, audio, and video calls with perfect forward secrecy. Group chats, video conferencing, and screen sharing. No file size, bandwidth, or storage limits since there is no central server relaying your data. Available on Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Android TV.
You create an account without providing any personal information, and Jami generates a cryptographic identity used to find and connect directly to contacts over a peer-to-peer network (via a distributed hash table) rather than through company servers. Multiple devices can be linked to the same account, and calls or messages travel directly between participants' devices.
Where Jami stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Jami
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Personal messaging checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Personal messaging checklist | Jami | Delta Chat | SimpleX Chat | Telegram | Signal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| E2E encryption by default | ||||||
| E2E optional | ||||||
| Voice calls | ||||||
| Video calls | ||||||
| Phone number required | ||||||
| Username-only signup | ||||||
| Federation / decentralized | ||||||
| Message editing & deletion | ||||||
| Disappearing messages | ||||||
| Reactions | ||||||
| Multi-device without phone | ||||||
| Backup & export of history |
Every fact and feature listed for Jami is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License GPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-11
Jami is free software and an official GNU package, developed and distributed under the GNU GPLv3+ license.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Keeping Jami free of charge.
https://jami.net/donate/ -
Platforms iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
Jami works on GNU/Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Since the release of Atlas: Jami's biggest step toward reliable communication, work hasn't slowed down.
https://jami.net/dev-update-15/ -
E2E encryption by default Yes verified 2026-07-11
Jami is a free/libre, end-to-end encrypted and private communication platform that requires no central authority.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
E2E optional No verified 2026-07-11
Jami is a free/libre, end-to-end encrypted and private communication platform that requires no central authority.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Voice calls Yes verified 2026-07-11
Jami's features include: text chats, voice and video calls, screen sharing, file sharing, conference calls, and group chats.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Video calls Yes verified 2026-07-11
Jami's features include: text chats, voice and video calls, screen sharing, file sharing, conference calls, and group chats.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Phone number required No verified 2026-07-11
no personal information is required to create an account.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Username-only signup Yes verified 2026-07-11
A username (optional), which is a unique identifier that is directly associated with your Jami ID.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/faq.html -
Federation / decentralized Yes verified 2026-07-11
Jami is built on two distinct distributed networks: the OpenDHT kademlia network to provide distributed connectivity establishment and message distribution, the JamiNS blockchain to provide distribute
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/jami-distributed-network.html -
Message editing & deletion Yes verified 2026-07-11
You can now delete a 1:1 conversation without removing the associated contact.
https://jami.net/dev-update-15/ -
Disappearing messages Partial verified 2026-07-11
However, non-permanent messages (like messages readable only for some minutes) can be sent via a special message via the DRT (like Typing or Read notifications).
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/developer/jami-concepts/swarm.html -
Reactions Yes verified 2026-07-11
react-to": "id (optional)""
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/developer/jami-concepts/swarm.html -
Multi-device without phone Yes verified 2026-07-11
Multiple devices can be linked to a Jami account, and no personal information is required to create an account.
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html -
Backup & export of history Yes verified 2026-07-11
Copy and save the database (in `~/.local/share/jami/` for example).
https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/faq.html
FAQ
Yes. Delta Chat, Telegram and WhatsApp have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Delta Chat, SimpleX Chat and Telegram — every license claim links its source.