What are the best open source alternatives to Signal?

The top open source alternatives to Signal include Cinny and Stoat. These tools offer similar functionality while being free and open source.

Why choose an open source alternative to Signal?

Open source alternatives provide transparency, community support, no vendor lock-in, and often cost savings. You can customize the software to your needs and have full control over your data.

Are these Signal alternatives really free?

Yes, all listed alternatives are open source and free to use. You may need to pay for hosting if you self-host, but the software itself is free.

2 Best Open Source Signal Alternatives in 2026

Cinny is an open-source Matrix client that provides a secure and elegant interface for seamless conversations. Built on the Matrix protocol, it offers:

End-to-end encryption for enhanced privacy and security
A clean and intuitive user interface for effortless navigation
Organized conversations, separating DMs from channels
Adaptive input that adjusts to your actions without disrupting your workflow
Calm visual design with proper alignment and formatting

Cinny is constantly evolving to create a better communication experience. As an open-source project, it benefits from community contributions and transparency.

Key features:

Simple and elegant interface
End-to-end encryption
Organized conversation management
Adaptive input system
Calm visual design
Open-source development

Whether you're looking for a secure messaging solution for personal use or team collaboration, Cinny offers a refreshing alternative to traditional chat applications. Experience the power of open-source, decentralized communication with Cinny's user-friendly approach to Matrix.

Self-hostable group chat with servers, channels, voice, and moderation tools. No ads, no data mining, built under EU privacy law.

Stoat (formerly Revolt) is a group chat app built for friends and communities who want the features of mainstream platforms without the surveillance business model behind them. It's a direct Discord alternative that covers the basics well: servers, channels, voice chat, file sharing, and markdown support, all without ads or data collection.

Built in Europe under EU data protection law, the codebase is public and the privacy policy is short enough to actually read. There's no investor pressure shaping product decisions, which means features exist because users want them, not because they serve an ad-targeting pipeline.

A few things stand out from the typical chat app:

Custom emojis and animated avatars are free, with no subscription tier required
Group DMs support up to 50 members and work with bots, making them useful for project collaboration or ad-hoc voice groups
Role-based permissions and moderation tools handle communities of any size, from a handful of friends to thousands of members
Theming ships with built-in options, community themes via a Discover section, and custom CSS for those who want full control
Cross-platform sync covers Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the web
Self-hosting is supported if you want full control over your own instance
A public API powers the official apps themselves, so third-party bots and custom clients are first-class citizens

Compared to tools like Rocket.Chat or Twake Chat, Stoat leans toward the consumer end: it's designed to feel familiar to anyone coming from mainstream chat apps, with a lighter footprint and fewer enterprise-focused features. The 20MB file upload limit and server-specific profile pictures are available without paying, which removes friction that similar platforms put behind paywalls.

The issue tracker is public and the team runs a community server, so feedback has a direct path to the people building it.