This article is dedicated to educating those interested in learning more about secret texting apps available for the iPhone Android devices. Applications like these ensure that your messages do not get seen by unintended parties.
Hello, it is Frankie here again, the instant messaging expert and hacking technique enthusiast.
Welcome to my blog.
In this guide, we will learn the best apps for texting in secret.
I should note that the apps here have been personally tested by me so that I only provide readers with the most helpful information that is real.
You might learn that there are several reasons to keep your messages hidden and only read by the intended recipient.
It might just be an innocent reason, like protecting your sensitive data. These days, cyber criminals, the government, companies, and more grab all of the sensitive information they can get their hands on.
You might find you have a not-so-noble reason for hiding your text messages as well. You could be committing criminal acts, or cheating on your partner. If you are doing this, you should read my article about things to know when someone is cheating. You need to find a way to exchange messages without being tracked.
I surely don’t hope that you are a criminal or unfaithful to your partner, but I am also not here to preach or judge at you. I want to show you the 5 best texting apps to operate in secrecy that provide a reduced fear of interception.
Frankie’s Take:
Take notice of my use of the word “reduced.” These secret apps cannot protect you against the infiltration and data mining of advanced, high-end spy applications. With something like mSpy installed on your device, there is no keeping secret information from the installer.
Top 5 Chat Apps for Secret Messaging in 2023
Let’s not waste more time and get right into the hidden apps you want to use on iPhone Android devices to keep your text messages from falling into the wrong hands.
I only chose 5 because I believe that these are the best. I’m not going to waste your time or confuse you with a long list of applications that you don’t have the time to read.
I keep this list updated so that only the top five options will ever be shown on this blog.
In a hurry? Here is a quick rundown of each app with hidden chat feature:
| APP | Available on Android? | Available on iPhone? |
| Telegram | Yes | Yes |
| Viber | Yes | Yes |
| Signal | Yes | Yes |
| EncryptChat | Yes | Yes |
| Threema | Yes | Yes |
1. Telegram
The allure of this app is that it is fast and secure.
The ease of use is worth noting as well, as well as the application being free to download. (You can follow this link to download on Android and iOS).
Use this service on all of your devices simultaneously, as messages sync between multiple phones that you have linked, as well as both tablets and computers.
Using this app, you can send messages, video, pictures, files, and communicate with groups of more than 100,000 people. You also have the option of channeling a broadcast to the entire world.
But for the reason that you are interested in this messaging app, there is an option called Secret Chats, utilizing end-to-end encryption and leaving no trace.
This service also promotes self-destructing messages to prevent them getting forwarded to other parties. Even more securely, these messages do not get stored in the cloud, so they are only accessible from the device where the messages originated.
If you want more secrecy than you can find with traditional messaging applications, this is certainly it. Messages here are encrypted from being grabbed by third parties. What this means, is that only you and the intended recipient read the messages that get sent. No one else (including Telegram) can see the content.
You are protected because you cannot forward messages from a secret chat. When you delete a message at the end of your conversation, your recipient will be ordered to delete these messages as well.
Frankie’s Take:
I would suggest using Telegram to avoid being overly conspicuous. It is a widely used app and many use it to subscribe to channels for offers and promotions happening regularly. If you want information in a detailed guide about starting a conversation on Telegram, you can click on this link.
2. Viber
This application was originally created to exploit the internet and allow people to speak to one another from different countries.
Now, it has earned its place among the best secret messaging apps that you can download today.
Much like Telegram, you can send texts, videos, photos, video messages, and other files to other Viber members at no cost to you. This makes communication inexpensive and useful when you have family all over the world. This will never use a minute of your phone capacity.
Better yet, the application works on all major operating systems. This includes computers, to help people connect around the globe and stay connected once they are. You can use this link to download Viber for iPhone and Android devices. Much like other secret messaging apps, end to end encryption prevents messages, video messages, and voice messages from getting intercepted.
No chat information gets stored on Viber servers once delivered. If any issue exists delivering the message, the encryption remains until the file or text gets delivered.
Viber also enhanced privacy with secret and hidden chats, complete with several interesting and powerful features.
Let’s take a look at what that means for you.
Secret Chats – Viber has a feature called Secret Chats that have messages and content self-destruct after a designated amount of time. So there is no available trace of the conversation left to find.
Hidden Chats – the options here differ because these get stored in separate sections of the app and are protected by a set PIN. Hidden chats will not show up on the normal chat screen. They are only accessible to you.
Frankie’s Take:
this is an ideal application for those using text and voice calls, especially if you need them to be encrypted. There is a the option of having conversations that self-destruct after designated times, and the option to hide chads behind a set PIN.
3. Signal
If you are looking for an encrypted application for messaging that mirrors options like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage, this is what you need to download. While it lacks some of the cute emojis and filters you might find on widely downloaded options, this app focuses its attention and resources on security and privacy.
This is yet another free application and is available for most major operating systems. There is even an extension for Chrome that can work with your phone and boost security protocols. While it might not have many of the bells and whistles, you do have all the tools you need to message like a professional.
There is emoji support, read receipts like you find on WhatsApp, group chatting, and also the option to conduct voice and video calls.
In terms of discrete messaging, this is a very simple app you can use. As long as both parties are using this service, every sent message is highly encrypted from capture and interception.
Additionally, encryption has an open source license , meaning that experts have had the opportunity to test all angles of its protection an exploit weaknesses to improve the quality of this protection.
Perhaps even more exciting than this, is the option to send disappearing messages.
Disappearing Messages: this app has a feature known as disappearing messages, and this ensures that anything you send over receive gets erased after a designated amount of time.
Even if you are not trying to hide anything it is nice that your personal affairs and conversations are actually staying private. For more information about setting up and managing disappearing messages on Signal, you can follow this link.
Frankie’s Take:
Signal private messengers is certainly one of the most popular secret/hidden messaging apps on the planet. This feature is a double-edged sword: as a popular secret messaging app, it can seem suspicious to have it on your phone with no good reason.
4. EncryptChat
EncryptChat is one of the best secret messaging apps out there – you need to have this on your smartphone. You can download it for free for iPhone and Android.
Let’s talk about why this app is great.
This free application allows you to create messages and encrypt them before you send them. To decrypt them, the recipient must have this application installed on their mobile phone and have shared a password with you.
There is a very simple operation to this, requiring no IT skills and therefore no problems. You just open the app, write a message, enter a password that the recipient needs to decrypt it (agreed with them ahead of time), encrypt the message and click on ‘Share’ all you need to do now is choose the app with which you wish to send it, including WhatsApp, Messenger, iMessage, Instagram, Telegram, and more.
When the message is sent, its recipient gets an alphanumeric code that looks something like: 3110a3456a3486ght4585eds3329y1257y
The decryption of this message requires the recipient to copy the code, paste it into the EncryptChat app, and enter the password.
That is an unheard-of level of protection for your messages.
Pretty cool, right?
Frankie’s Take:
With the EncryptChat service, you don’t have to worry about your messages ending up in the wrong hands. You cannot crack the code without the password. Let’s be honest – if you are having an affair or need to hide something, this is an added layer of protection you desperately need. Because it is not widely used, it might not raise as much suspicion. I also have a guide to help you hide apps from your home screen.
5. Threema
Threema is an application that looks like a game on your phone but it is actually a secure and simple messenger to use. On the app stores, this is highly regarded as one of the best instant messaging apps. It is available for both iPhone and Android devices, and you can click here to download it to your respective device.
The app is premium, requiring a one-time payment of €3 (or just over $3.) But for its features and offerings, this is money well-spent.
Allow me to explain.
The app doesn’t require an email address or phone number to sign up for an account. You register anonymously because all you need to input is a nickname. Messages (whether simple texts or those that contain media like images, video, or audio) are encrypted heavily. Additionally, messages get deleted from the servers immediately after being sent.
Contact books are anonymous as well. No one knows who you are talking to but you.
Frankie’s Take:
I appreciate Threema’s capability to keep its users anonymous (requiring no email or phone number to sign up). The choice in just having a nickname can give a lot of wiggle room for those who are concerned about their privacy and might have a lot to hide.
In Summation
I would likely place Telegram in first place. It is very popular and so it is less notice of all and questionable why you might have it downloaded to your phone. It has several secret options, including self-destructing messages and encryption.
Viber can be in second place. This is also a widely used app. You have the ability to create secret chats that are only accessible with a password and also set a self-destruct timer for messages you have sent.
Third place goes to Signal – which is less used than the first two but incredibly safe. Signal allows you to send self-destructing messages.
Fourth would be EncryptChat. It is not heavily used, but it is very effective. is very effective. This service sends encrypted messages on popular applications, making the recipient enter a designated password to access the content.
Last, but still among the five best options, is Threema. This is a paid app that can provide an enormous amount of security to your messages as it promotes complete anonymity.
If you want to know more about self-destructing messages, here you can find a list with the best 7 options.
What About WhatsApp?
Here’s a comparison between WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal:
I don’t want to include WhatsApp on my list of best secret messaging apps because it really isn’t all that secure.
While there are encryption services to prevent cyberattacks and the stealing of your information, there are no other features like self-destruct messages or hidden chats like you might find with other options above.
There are ways that you can send secret messages using WhatsApp, however. You can use apps like EncryptChat to further encrypt and place these texts behind password protection.
If you want to know more, you can check out my guide I wrote on how to send the secret messages using WhatsApp.
Are There Alternatives? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t.
Both Apple and Google stores have plenty of messaging apps designed for sending encrypted messages. Some of them are affective, and some of them are really not.
Any good alternative to Viber, Signal, EncryptChat, Threema, and Telegram are as follows: Secret Messenger Chats, Snapchat, Wire, KakoaTalk, Wickr Me or Dust. All of these are available for both iPhone and Android devices.
Want to know the real problem with these applications?
No one is using them.
So, what this means is, you and the recipient must have these applications installed. If you both have this same unused app installed on your phone, that is sure to raise some eyebrows.
Let’s work through an example.
Suppose you have a lover and want to send secret messages without your partner realizing. You and this individual must install an app for this purpose and hide it from the home page on your mobile phone. This is to avoid making any partner suspicious.
I would not recommend this course of action, there’s too much risk involved.
You could instead use something like Telegram that millions are using. Many already have it on their phone, it is safe, and you don’t run the risk of arousing suspicions unnecessarily.
Frankie’s Take:
If you really want to chat secretly with your lover, I would suggest that you take a look at a guide I have about the 13 most popular cheating apps for the (im)perfect affair.
The Take Away
Now we are at the end of the guide. I hope the information that was provided was useful.
I listed the best secret messaging apps for iPhone and Android, including some of the pros and cons associated with all five of them. You should have all of the necessary information to make a decision on what suits your needs.
To ensure that you have not missed something, allow me to give you a quick recap.
In order of preference, the best hidden apps that appear like games on your phone include:
- Telegram
- Viber
- Signal
- EncryptChat
- Threema
With these apps, you can quickly and easily send private messages, texts that self-destruct after a certain designated time, and encrypted messages sent without raising suspicions and not get exposed.
That’s all I have for now.
So stop by again regularly as I intend to update the article regularly to keep the latest information on the best secret apps.
If you have questions or discovered an app you think should be on this list, make sure you leave a comment on the post so that you can share it with the group.
You can also follow my YouTube channel for helpful video guides all about messaging apps and spyware. There is also helpful content on my Facebook page.
Regards,
Frankie Caruso
PS – Did you know that there are apps to call someone without leaving a trace? I have a guide about this topic as well, so check out the best apps to make international (and national) calls and video calls for free.
