# Apps

## Comparisons  


- [https://berty.tech/faq](https://berty.tech/faq)
- [https://simplex.chat/#comparison](https://simplex.chat/#comparison)
- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison\_of\_instant\_messaging\_protocols](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_instant_messaging_protocols)
- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison\_of\_cross-platform\_instant\_messaging\_clients](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_cross-platform_instant_messaging_clients)

## Centralized

Servers are hosted by a provider and cannot be self-hosted. Clients are often provided by same party that hosts the servers and 3rd party clients are not welcome, protocols are not well defined.

- Signal - Signal Protocol
- Telegram - Custom crypto / off by default!
- Discord

## Federated

You can self-host your own network and continue exchanging messages with other networks. Clients are often developed independently based on well defined standards.

- IRC 
    - irssi
    - Revolution IRC
- XMPP 
    - [Conversations](https://conversations.im/)
- Matrix 
    - Element
- e-mail 
    - [Delta Chat](https://delta.chat/en/)

## Decentralized

Based on some sort of mixing network that hides social network and optionally provides store and forward functionality. Mixnet nodes can be self-hosted.

- [SimpleX](https://simplex.chat/) - Mixnet with store & forward
- [Session](https://getsession.org/) - Mixnet with store & forward
- [Briar ](https://briarproject.org/)- Tor

## Distributed

Full peer-to-perr connectivity. IP addresses may leak or be available to friends.

- [Jami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jami_(software)) - DHT
- [Cabal](https://cabal.chat/) - DAT protocol based
- [https://tox.chat/](https://tox.chat/) - DHT