Now that we live in a digital world, private messaging applications are an integral part of our everyday lives. More and more people are using private messaging services to talk freely without fear of prying eyes because of rising privacy and security concerns online. Popular examples include Telegram vs. Threema, vs. Signal, both of which have seen explosive growth in the past few years. While security and privacy are top priorities for both apps, there are notable distinctions that may make one better suited to your needs than the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word “Threema” itself implies safety. The name of the app is an abbreviation for “end-to-end encrypted messaging applications” (which is what “EEEMA” stands for) and the letters “three E’s” (for “end-to-end”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, security is a top priority for Threema. Hundreds of thousands of new users have downloaded the app since the Snowden revelations. Similarly, Threema had a one-day increase of 50% in its user base after Facebook’s 2014 purchase of Whatsapp. The majority of these consumers were located in Germany, which remains one of Threema’s most fruitful markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result of Whatsapp’s botched implementation of its new privacy policy, Threema’s usage spiked once more in the second week of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current user base is somewhere around 8 million, making it far smaller than both Telegram (500 million) and Signal (40 million). Switzerland is also home to Threema’s headquarters and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an advantage, Threema doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the feel and look of an IM client. Trying to improve upon a method that has worked for us for a long time and that we are already familiar with would be a waste of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you first open the app, the conversations you have open will take up the majority of the screen. As with WhatsApp and similar apps, you may initiate a new chat at any time by selecting the “Compose” button. By default, Threema will not sync your contacts, so if you want to talk to people in your address book who also use the app, you’ll need to enable this setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can only send a message to someone if you know their Threema ID or if you scan their number in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing your theme or otherwise personalizing your experience in Threema is limited, which is a minor criticism of the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Threema’s many safeguards and the app’s design all work together to keep your data safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of this, your identity will never be revealed when using Threema. There is no obligation to provide personal information, such as a phone number or email address, or to sync your contacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To emphasize, Threema does not keep a lot of data on its servers. Metadata minimalism is a major tenet of their philosophy. In other words, if the program isn’t storing any of your information, then nobody has access to it to abuse it. Therefore, Threema does not save any records of your communications or contact information. If you choose to sync your contacts, the information is removed from the server as soon as the process finishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Threema provides end-to-end encryption for all forms of communication, including but not limited to text messaging, group chats, phone calls, file transfers, and more. Furthermore, the app’s source code is available for review by the IT community, which may lead to the identification of vulnerabilities and ineffective procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In light of this, we can confidently claim that the Threema app is one of the most data-safe instant messaging services available today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to cutting-edge communication, though, Threema may fall short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Threema lacks even the most fundamental aspects of project management software, such as screen sharing and secure file transfer. In comparison to other group chat apps, Threema doesn’t offer as many customization choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s not that there aren’t any fancy ways to talk in the app; there just aren’t a lot of them. Features such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another significant shortcoming of Threema is that it can only be used to transfer files up to 50 MB in size. While this won’t be an issue for smartphone photos, high-resolution films, PowerPoint presentations, and even some high-resolution photos will exceed the restriction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the business world, where larger files are more common, this might be a problem for effective communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can get around the problem of Threema’s limited features by switching to one of its other products, which gives it an edge in this market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the first place, there’s Threema Work. With the help of this collaboration tool, staff members can have secure, well-structured conversations with one another. The “management cockpit” is where administrators can set the parameters for how their staff members can utilize the program. By using this product, Threema hopes to preserve sensitive company data within the company where it belongs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to Threema Work, here are a few other goods worth looking into:<\/p>\n\n\n\n