Open-source alternatives to WhatsApp
7 open-source projects are offered as replacements for WhatsApp. Signal Android is the most starred. Running one yourself trades the subscription for your own hosting and upkeep, so the table below leads with what decides that trade: whether the project is alive, what its licence lets a business do, and whether there is a container command to start from.
Side by side
| Project | Stars | Activity | Licence | Self-host | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Signal Android | 29,494 | Active | Network copyleft | ○ | Kotlin |
 Berty | 9,329 | Active | Not identified | ○ | TypeScript |
 Lokinet | 2,105 | Active | Copyleft | ○ | C++ |
 Speek | 768 | Quiet | Not identified | ○ | C++ |
 Coyim | 617 | Slowing | Not identified | ○ | Go |
 Kontalk | 575 | Quiet | Copyleft | ○ | Java |
 Snikket | 467 | Active | Permissive | Compose | Lua |
Each one, briefly
- Berty9,329 stars · not identified · active
Berty is a secure peer-to-peer messaging app that works with or without internet access, cellular data or trust in the network
Also replaces Coyim, Session, Telegram, Threema
- Lokinet2,105 stars · copyleft · active
Lokinet is an anonymous, decentralized and IP based overlay network for the internet.
Also replaces Signal, Telegram, Threema
- Speek768 stars · not identified · quiet
Privacy focused messenger that doesn't trust anyone with your identity, your contact list, or your communications
Also replaces Signal, Telegram
- Coyim617 stars · not identified · slowing
coyim - a safe and secure chat client
Also replaces Berty, Session, Telegram, Threema
Where this comes from
Which projects are offered against WhatsApp comes from opensourcealternative.to, re-read weekly. Every figure in the table is read from the project’s own repository. We have not run these projects, and we hold no price for WhatsApp. Browse every open-source alternative.