It’s a unique numerical code that has to be verified before you can send messages. Signal uses a ‘safety number’ to verify chats. It lets you share and create your own stickers to spruce up messages and create group chats. You’ll never have to pay additional fees for using Signal. You can send voicemails and texts and make video and voice calls, all through your phone’s data connection. As well as all the features you’d expect, it provides peace of mind since your data is safe and secure. If you don’t like the idea of using something like Whatsapp that’s tied to a company that’s known for distributing user data, Signal could be just what you’re looking for.

This freedom means that Signal (the product) is available as open-source, so it’s peer-reviewed and funded entirely by donations and grants. As an independent nonprofit, Signal (the company) has absolutely no interference from any major corporations. Signal posits itself as the most secure messaging service there is, and a big part of this is how it works.

Signal desktop download