Briar
FreeKeeps talking when the internet is down — Bluetooth and Wi-Fi direct, Tor when online
An encrypted messenger built for journalists and activists, with no central server — messages sync directly between devices. Online, all traffic goes over Tor; offline, messages move over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or memory cards. No phone number or email to sign up, and the account exists only on your device.
Why we picked it
GPL-3.0 (the desktop client is AGPL-3.0), hosted on the project's own GitLab. The Android app reached 1.5.20 in September 2026.
Briar covers situations other messengers ignore: the network has been cut, or the network itself cannot be trusted. There is no server; contacts sync peer to peer. Online, every connection runs over Tor, so an observer cannot see who is talking to whom. Offline, phones in the same area can exchange messages directly over Bluetooth or local Wi-Fi. In its forums and blogs every subscriber keeps a copy, so there is no central point where a post can be deleted.
You add contacts by scanning a QR code in person or exchanging briar:// links. Account data is encrypted with your password and stored on the phone, never in a cloud.
To be clear about:
- Forget the password or uninstall the app and the account is gone for good. Data exists only on the device, with no recovery path and no multi-device sync.
- Both sides must be online for a message to arrive. If the other phone is off, the message waits. The project's answer is Briar Mailbox: install it on a spare Android phone, leave it on power and Wi-Fi, and it receives messages for you.
- There is no iOS app. Android is the main platform; the Windows, macOS and Linux desktop client is still in beta and lacks Bluetooth, adding nearby contacts, Tor bridges and disappearing messages.
- A constant Tor connection uses more battery than an ordinary messenger. It is built for high-risk situations; for everyday family chat, Signal is less work.