September 28, 2020

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Author: Matthew Turner

The King of Messengers: Signal vs WhatsApp vs Utopia

Social networks have ceased to be a place for communication and turned into a place for self-affirmation and advertising. Now you can see a trend where people are gradually “moving” from social networks to more comfortable messengers where no one can reach them without knowing their phone number or nickname.

Previously, we’ve compared the top three messengers. You can read all the details in the article Clash of The Titans: Telegram vs WhatsApp vs Utopia.

What is a messenger? A messenger is a program, mobile app, or web service for instant messaging. Today, there are many messengers on the social media market. However, it is possible to highlight the “golden three”: Signal vs. WhatsApp vs. Utopia.

Why Is Secure Messaging Important in 2020? Read the updated article and get acquainted with the encryption and protection methods of the messengers.

What is the best messenger for daily communication? Let’s compare them under several parameters – security, features, and cooperation with government agencies.

Who are the developers and owners?

Signal

The Signal app was created by the Signal Foundation. The security of Signal was mentioned by Edward Snowden. So, this fact is an additional guarantee of the messenger privacy and autonomy from government agencies and commercial companies.

Moreover, according to the EFF, Signal is one of the most protected and confidential messaging app for all the time. Also, it is the popular messenger in Hong Kong, where the state has banned other means of communication because of censorship.

WhatsApp

The WhatsApp messenger is part of the Facebook Corporation. However, this fact is not a plus. More like a minus. Since it is no secret that Facebook collects personal data of its users and, if necessary, transmits it to government agencies and commercial organizations.

Users’ metadata are not encrypted in this app, so Facebook can easily collect the necessary information and monitor users’ activity on the internet.

Is something wrong with the privacy of Facebook? Read Another Privacy Issue of Facebook and know all about the security of the media giant.

Utopia

Utopia is a secure platform that created for a privacy on the internet. A company created it under the nickname 1984. However, the real names of the developers are still unknown. This precaution was taken to avoid pressure of government agencies on the developers to obtain information.

The ecosystem doesn’t use a single data storage server. There, each client has his own server for data storage. And only the client has unique access to it. Even the developers can’t discover any of your data.

Security measures

Signal

The application is built on open source code, using E2E encryption. It works for all types of messages and calls. In addition, unlike WhatsApp, Signal encrypts metadata.

What’s The Difference Between Open Source vs Closed Source? What is the best to choose? Read the article and make the right choice.

For a high degree of user protection, Signal has developed Sealed Sender – a new way to communicate between users. The main feature of this development is that no one can recognize the dialog’s real interlocutors, even the developers themselves.

In addition, you can enable 2FA in the messenger and use the built-in function of blocking screenshots of messages in the dialog.

Does Signal have technical errors in the security system? Read Signal PINs: Is Secure Messaging at Risk and be prepared for possible bugs.

WhatsApp

The messenger has a double encryption that protects the transmission messages process. It is applied for both video and voice messages at all. The same method is used in the desktop messenger version – WhatsApp Web.

The app has an app lock function and a feature for using 2FA multi-factor authentication.

Among the main shortcomings in the security system, it is worth noting the following facts:

• Messenger does not encrypt backup files.
• It does not use encryption for metadata.
• It has some technical holes in the double encryption system.

Is WhatsApp Safe and Secure? Read the article and get more information about the security measures of the messenger.

Utopia

Utopia is based on P2P architecture with decentralization. For users protection, it uses a sophisticated encryption method. It is based on the internal creation of developers.

More about P2P you can read in the article The Backbone of The Internet: What is a P2P Network.

The ecosystem offers an anonymous registration. The new client doesn’t add some personal information, including name, address and phone number. Instead, Utopia generates a private key for each user. It plays a role of user’s nick and opens access to the system. So, nobody can track the movement of the specific person.

Utopia is a platform free of censorship that ensures the confidentiality of each user’s data.

Read the article The Clear Advantages of Decentralization and know all the pluses of the decentralized systems.

Functional abilities

Signal

Signal offers users to send and receive encrypted messages, both text and voice. Also, they can add media files and emoticons to the messages. All messages are highly encrypted from the outsiders.

Signal users can create chat for group communication, but can’t make a group audio and video calls. Instead, they may use a disappearing messages feature and add to messages a one-time visible image.

WhatsApp

The WhatsApp messenger functionality offers users everything they need to communicate on the network quickly. Clients can transfer instant messages, create chats up to 250 participants, and broadcast their messages to multiple contacts at once.

Moreover, WhatsApp offers to make voice calls and video calls, with the participation of no more than 8 people.

Recently, WhatsApp has added a new “stories” feature. Thus, WhatsApp is slowly moving from a communication app to a real social platform.

Users can easily transfer media files of any format, but their size should not exceed 100 MB. In addition, there is a function for backup and recovery of deleted data through the use of cloud services such as Google Drive and iCloud. This feature works for free.

Did you hear about A Dangerous “Text Bomb” in WhatsApp? This is a virus message that crashes the entire system. Read how to avoid such a text bomb on your phone.

Utopia

Utopia messenger ensures fast and secure messaging process. Thanks to implemented encryption method, the platform can transfer highly encrypted messages between users.

Also, users can add to messages any stickers from in-built sticker packs and emoticons. There is a possibility to upload any media file without format restrictions. All files will be transferred in the original format.

Users can create private chats and channels to connect with subscribers and mark them on uMap (an internal map of the ecosystem created to search for the necessary content).

Also, Utopia offers other built-in tools:

• Idyll Browser. An anonymous browser that doesn’t track user activity.
• uMail. Confidential email that is intended for transferring corporate files and documents.
• uWallet. Built-in crypto wallet that stores the internal cryptocurrency of the ecosystem – Cryptons.
• Mining Bot. An automatic bot that charges Cryptons for using Utopia.

All these tools are available for use after registration. They work in the same app and do not require downloading additional resources.

Results: Signal vs WhatsApp vs Utopia

Now, let’s compare our main data in a table for clarity.

As you can see, the main differences between these messengers are the type of encryption and the developers. In terms of functionality, they are approximately the same.

Therefore, if your data’s security is more important to you, you should pay attention to the anonymous Utopia P2P platform.

If popularity and are more important for you than the anonymity of your data, then choose the popular WhatsApp and Signal.

It rests with you to decide!

Read the article Emails and Messengers: What Is Secure Communication. There, you can find additional information about the security method of data protection.