WhatsApp vs Signal vs Telegram: Detailed Feature Comparison

There has recently been a considerable buzz on the World wide web and in the media about WhatsApp and how Facebook plans to use your contact information as of February 2021. To some level, WhatsApp has become a casualty of Facebook’s rather lousy record of privacy.

Did you know that in2019, Business Insider made public that 1.5 million users had their e-mail contact information gathered from their Facebook accounts without their knowledge?

So before we make any impulsive choices let’s discuss the pros and cons of WhatsApp vs Signal vs Telegram. Our guide here has you covered.

1. The WhatsApp Platform

WhatsApp is a free American-based messaging platform for Android and iOS devices. There are a web version and desktop client but, both require the phone to be connected to the internet. In 2014, Facebook bought WhatsApp for a staggering US$19 billion.

WhatsApp has an incredible two billion-plus active users all using the App at least once a month. This fact alone makes WhatsApp a serious contender whichever way we look at it. Telegram has more than 400 million users, with 25 million joining in a 72 hour period in January 2021 due to WhatsApp’s bad press. Signal has 20 million users – mostly in Europe.

WhatsApp comes with a lot of features users have become comfortable with. Private chat messages are end-to-end encrypted but, messages outside of private chats are not guaranteed to be encrypted.

WhatsApp Pros

• It’s very popular, not many of our contacts are not using it
• Offers a good range of functions
• Group video chats although limited to 8 users at a time
• Easy to use
• It runs on lots of devices

WhatsApp Cons

• Facebook that controls access to user data
• Theoretically, Facebook could change privacy settings without anyone knowing
• Facebook could misuse data
• Access to user data could mean Facebook opening up ads to WhatsApp

The bad news is if your primary concern privacy, WhatsApp scores the lowest of the three.

2. The Telegram Platform

Telegram is secure but, this comes with a caveat, users must choose the secret chat mode. That said, with Pavel Durov taking a strongly principled stand against censorship and government interference it does inspire trust.

Telegram has the cleanest user interface. Telegram offers two types of community chats using Groups and Channels.

Telegram’s Pros

• The user interface is tidy and user-friendly
• You can make your message vanish, which is great for privacy
• You can share large files and best of all it’s free
• Very open API allowing chatbot opportunities

The Bad of Telegram

• Telegram is not open-source; the closed-source encryption protocol and optional E2E support does not offer opportunity transparency and improvement
• End to end encryption is only available for secret chats
• Smaller market share means that all your contacts are using it

3. The Signal Platform

Signal is run by a non-commercial organization – Open Whisper Systems. It’s an instant messaging platform that sends all messages in encrypted form, and voice calls are also encrypted.

Signal’s focus on privacy has led to a few exciting features like a private section where you can disable screenshotting and activate a passphrase to avoid anyone else using the App on your phone.

There are a few funky features like being able to change the background. Just like WhatsApp, media and GIFs sharing is easy.

Signal is open-source, so users and companies can download and dive into the code. That means companies can host their own implementation of Signal in their datacentre and increase the security. Signal is free for download but will need a community donation.

Signal Pros

• Signal provides the most security
• It’s completely open-source, which indicates that anyone can check and test the security
• The interface is simple to use
• Trackers will only know when you’re using Signal, but they can’t access or read your messages
• You must be verified first before you can use audio chat
• It does not allow anyone to take screenshots

Signal Cons

• There compatibility issues with some versions of IoS
• There would appear to be a few features that are not quite working as expected
• It’s the least popular messaging platform

Which One? WhatsApp vs Signal or Telegram ?

All of us have different requirements when selecting an IM Platform. But the are a few things you need to understand when comparing the three most-used global IM platforms.

Without a doubt, the most significant consideration is security and privacy. Other reviews are influenced more by usability and functionality. Some examples would be voice and video calls, file and media sharing, message scheduling, GIF support, emojis, and some more exciting services like quizzes, polls, surveys.

It Is Your Choice After All!

The question remains. WhatsApp vs Signal, or Telegram ? To sum it all up, I’d suggest going with Telegram if you’d like more functionalities than the average messenger. You can consider Signal if you are looking for vital messaging services features along with a high level of security. However, with the policy change update, WhatsApp looks riskier than ever.

After the whole discussion, it is clearer and clearer that Signal is highly confidential and protected. If privacy is a top priority for you, you should choose Signal.

WhatsApp is excellent in terms of ‘End to End’ encrypted data. However, it is tough to select WhatsApp over Telegram or Signal because of this new privacy policy that has been put into place.

On the whole, considering all the features, the best choice looks to be Telegram. That being said, Signal offers a higher standard of security, whereas WhatsApp has become riskier.

Head on over for more exciting articles on technology! You may be interested in more cellphone technology blog posts here!