WhatsApp vs. Telegram vs. Signal: Which is Most Secure?

In late 2025, choosing a messaging app is about more than just sending funny stickers or high-quality videos. It is about protecting your private life. With data leaks, hackers, and big corporations tracking your every move, the question “Is my chat safe?” has never been more important.

You likely have at least two of these apps on your phone right now: WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal. They all look similar, but under the hood, they are completely different machines. One is owned by the world’s biggest data advertising company. One is a feature-packed social network in disguise. And one is a non-profit tool built by privacy activists.

This article will break down the security, privacy, and trust of these three giants in simple English. By the end, you will know exactly which one deserves a place on your home screen.

The Contenders at a Glance

Before we fight, let’s meet the players.

WhatsApp

• Owned by: Meta (Facebook).
• Users: Over 3 billion.
• Best for: Talking to literally everyone you know. It is the standard app for schools, families, and businesses.

Telegram

• Owned by: Pavel Durov (Private company based in Dubai).
• Users: Over 950 million.
• Best for: Massive groups, channels, and downloading files. It feels more like a social media feed than just a chat app.

Signal

• Owned by: Signal Foundation (Non-profit).
• Users: Approx. 100 million.
• Best for: Journalists, politicians, and anyone who wants zero tracking. It has no ads and no shareholders.

Round 1: Encryption (The Secret Code)

The most important word in messaging security is “End-to-End Encryption” (E2EE).

Imagine you put a letter in a steel box, lock it with a key, and mail it. Only your friend has the key to open it. The mailman (the app) cannot see inside the box. This is E2EE.

Signal: The Gold Standard

Signal wins this round easily. Everything on Signal is encrypted by default. This includes your text messages, photos, calls, and even the cute stickers you send. No one at Signal can read your messages even if the government forces them to. They simply do not have the key.

WhatsApp: Secure but…

WhatsApp is surprisingly good here. It uses the exact same encryption technology (The Signal Protocol) as Signal. Every message you send is locked by default. Meta cannot read your messages or listen to your calls. However, there are holes in this armor which we will discuss in the “Privacy” section.

Telegram: The Dangerous Default

This is where most people get confused. Telegram is NOT encrypted by default.

When you open a normal chat on Telegram, it is a “Cloud Chat.” This means your messages are stored on Telegram’s servers. If Telegram’s employees wanted to read them, or if hackers broke into their servers, they potentially could.

• To get security on Telegram: You must manually start a “Secret Chat.” This is a hidden mode that turns on encryption. Most users never do this, meaning 90% of Telegram conversations are less secure than WhatsApp.

Winner: Signal (Secure by default).

Runner Up: WhatsApp (Also secure by default).

Loser: Telegram (You have to turn security on manually).

Round 2: Privacy & Metadata (What They Know About You)

Encryption protects what you say. Privacy rules protect who you are.

Even if a company can’t read your message “Hello,” they might know:

• Who you sent it to.
• What time you sent it.
• Where you were standing when you sent it.This information is called Metadata.

WhatsApp: The Data Hoover

This is WhatsApp’s biggest weakness. Because it is owned by Meta, it collects a lot of metadata. It knows your phone number, your location, how often you use the app, and who is in your groups. In late 2025, researchers found vulnerabilities that allowed them to link millions of phone numbers to user accounts, proving how much data is exposed.

Telegram: The Middle Ground

Telegram collects some data, like your IP address and contacts, to make the app work across your laptop and phone. While it is not as hungry as Meta, it still stores your contact list on its servers.

Signal: The Ghost

Signal collects almost nothing. It knows your phone number (because you used it to sign up) and… that’s it. It doesn’t know who you talk to or when.

If the police knocked on Signal’s door and asked for your data, Signal would genuinely say, “We have nothing to give you.” They have proven this in court multiple times.

Winner: Signal (They know nothing about you).

Round 3: Special Features (2025 Updates)

Security isn’t just about code; it’s about tools that help you protect yourself.

Usernames (Hiding Your Number)

• Signal: In 2025, Signal finally rolled out usernames to everyone. You can now chat with people without giving them your real phone number. This is a huge win for privacy.
• Telegram: Has had usernames for years. You can hide your number easily.
• WhatsApp: Announced this feature for 2026. In late 2025, it is still in testing or only for business accounts, meaning regular users still have to hand out their phone numbers.

Disappearing Messages & Screenshots

• WhatsApp: Has the best “View Once” mode. If you send a photo as “View Once,” the other person cannot take a screenshot. The app blocks it completely.
• Signal: Has “View Once,” but surprisingly, it does not strictly block screenshots on all phones. It trusts you to be careful.
• Telegram: You can only send self-destructing photos in Secret Chats. In normal chats, anyone can save or screenshot your photos without you knowing.

Backups

• WhatsApp: Offers “End-to-End Encrypted Backups.” If you turn this on, your iCloud or Google Drive backup is safe. If you forget the password, even WhatsApp can’t help you.
• Signal: Introduced secure cloud backups in late 2025. You can save your chat history if you lose your phone, but it is protected by a key that only you know.
• Telegram: Your “Cloud Chats” are always backed up on their servers. “Secret Chats” are never backed up—if you lose your phone, those secret messages are gone forever.

Winner: Tie.

• Signal wins for hiding your phone number.
• WhatsApp wins for blocking screenshots on photos.

Round 4: Trust and Ownership

Who is holding your data?

WhatsApp (Meta)

We all know Facebook/Meta’s history with privacy. They make money by showing ads. While they can’t read your WhatsApp messages, they use the metadata (who you talk to) to build a profile of you for their other apps (Facebook/Instagram).

Telegram (Pavel Durov)

Telegram has always positioned itself as an “anti-authority” app. However, in 2025, the CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France. Since then, Telegram has changed its rules and agreed to share some user data (like IP addresses) with authorities if there is a valid legal request. The “rebel” image of Telegram is cracking.

Signal (Signal Foundation)

Signal is a non-profit charity. They do not want to make money; they want to make privacy. They are supported by donations. This makes them the most trustworthy option because they have no financial reason to sell your data.

Winner: Signal (Zero conflict of interest).

Summary Table: The Big Three Compared

Final Verdict: Which One Should You Use?

The answer depends on who you are protecting yourself from.

1. The Winner for Pure Security: Signal

If you are a journalist, a lawyer, an activist, or just someone who hates Big Tech tracking you, Signal is the only choice. It collects zero data, hides your phone number, and encrypts everything by default. It is the gold standard.

2. The Best for “Good Enough” Daily Use: WhatsApp

If you just want to keep your chats safe from hackers and nosy neighbors, WhatsApp is safe enough. Its encryption is world-class. As long as you turn on “Two-Step Verification” and “Encrypted Backups,” you are very secure. Just accept that Meta knows who you are talking to.

3. The Risky Choice: Telegram

Do not use Telegram for sensitive secrets. It is a fantastic app for communities, news channels, and massive group chats, but it is not a secure messenger out of the box. If you forget to turn on “Secret Chat” (which most people do), your conversation is stored on a server that you do not control.

Recommendation for 2025:

Keep WhatsApp for your family and work because everyone uses it. Download Signal for your close friends and private conversations. Use Telegram only as a social media feed, not for private chats.