Session

Session is a decentralized, end-to-end encrypted messaging app for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Accounts can be created without a phone number or email address. Session routes messages through onion requests, designed so that no single server knows both a message's origin and destination. Messaging includes disappearing messages and encrypted group chats for up to 100 people. Attachments can be up to 10MB; they are encrypted on the device and stored through the Session File Server. Communities are large public channels that are self-hosted, but they are not fully end-to-end encrypted. Voice and video calls are beta features limited to one-to-one calls, not group calls. Calls use peer-to-peer networking and can expose a user's IP address to the call partner and an STF-operated STUN/TURN server. The code is open source, and Quarkslab has audited the desktop, Android, and iOS clients. The free plan includes encrypted messaging and attachments up to 10MB. Pro costs $2.99 a month and adds messages up to 10,000 characters, unlimited pinned conversations, animated display pictures, and badges.

Session offers encrypted messaging across desktop and mobile platforms, with account creation that does not require phone or email details. Communities and beta calls have stated encryption or privacy limitations, and calls do not support groups.

Session may suit people who want private messaging without signing up with a phone number or email address. Its group chats, disappearing messages, and desktop and mobile clients serve different messaging contexts, though its call limitations and privacy caveats are worth noting.

Session is a messaging app for people who want private chats without registering a phone number or email address. It is strongest for encrypted one-to-one and group conversations across mobile and desktop; its public Communities and beta calls require more caution.

Overview

Session routes messages through onion requests so no single server knows both who sent a message and who receives it. Its open-source code can be independently audited, and Quarkslab audited its desktop, Android, and iOS clients. Those measures make Session a considered choice for privacy-conscious messaging, though they do not make every feature equally private.

Encrypted group chats support up to 100 people, and disappearing messages are available. Communities are large public channels, not fully end-to-end encrypted spaces, so they are a poor place for conversations that require the same protections as private chats. Attachments are encrypted on the device and stored through Session File Server, but the 10MB limit rules out larger file sharing.

Recovery has important limits: it retrieves messages from the last 14 days, and contacts may be unrecoverable if all devices have been offline for more than 30 days. Users who rely on a durable conversation history should account for those constraints.

Key features

Signup and routing

Creating an account does not require a phone number or email address. That suits people who want to keep messaging separate from those identifiers. Onion-request routing is designed to prevent any one server from seeing both ends of a message.

Chats, communities, and calls

Private group chats can include up to 100 people, with disappearing messages for conversations that should not remain indefinitely. By contrast, Communities are public and not fully end-to-end encrypted. Voice and video calls are beta, peer-to-peer, and one-to-one only. A call can expose a user's IP address to the call partner and an STF-operated STUN/TURN server, making calls a less compelling choice for users who prioritize minimizing network exposure.

Attachments and notifications

Attachments are encrypted on the device, but each is limited to 10MB and stored through Session File Server. Mobile push notifications can use Firebase Cloud Messaging on Android and Apple Push Notification Service on iOS, a practical integration to know about if notification privacy is part of your decision.

Pricing

Session is freemium. The Free plan costs nothing and includes encrypted messaging, attachments up to 10MB, and signup without a phone number. It is the natural starting point for users who need core messaging without a subscription.

Pro costs $2.99 a month. It adds messages up to 10,000 characters, unlimited pinned conversations, animated display pictures, and badges. Choose it if those additions matter to your messaging habits; the Free plan remains the better fit if encrypted messaging and capped attachments are enough. The maker also directs users who need help to its support portal.

Platforms

Session is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its desktop clients make it suitable for people who want the same messaging service on computers as well as phones.

Who it's for

Session is best for people who value account creation without phone or email details, encrypted chats, and support for groups of up to 100. It is less suitable for users who need fully encrypted public communities, group calling, large attachments, or recovery of an extensive message history.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Signup needs no phone number or email, and onion-request routing avoids a single server knowing both sender and recipient.
• Pros: Open-source code, audited desktop and mobile clients, disappearing messages, and encrypted groups up to 100 provide concrete privacy and messaging features.
• Cons: Communities are not fully end-to-end encrypted, so they do not match private chats for confidentiality.
• Cons: Calls are beta, limited to one-to-one, and can expose the user's IP address to the call partner and an STF-operated STUN/TURN server.
• Cons: Attachments stop at 10MB, while message recovery covers only the last 14 days and contacts may be lost after more than 30 days with every device offline.

Alternatives

Consider Olvid if you want a free plan with unlimited messages and attachments, secure group discussions, ephemeral messages, and support across mobile, desktop, and web platforms. Wire is another freemium option with open-source code and apps for mobile, desktop, and web.

Berty is a free, open-source messenger for Android and iOS from a nonprofit based in Paris. Delta Chat is free, open-source software with mobile, desktop, and self-hosted platform options. FluffyChat is a free option for mobile and web, with no ads. imo offers free calls and messages across mobile, desktop, and web, though carrier data charges may apply. Jami is a free alternative. Messenger is a free messaging app for mobile, desktop, and web.

See more options in Encrypted Messaging Apps.

Verdict

Choose Session if your priority is private messaging without phone or email signup, backed by onion-request routing, open-source code, and audited clients. Look elsewhere if you need fully encrypted Communities, group calls, larger attachments, or broader message recovery.