Apps

Comparisons

• https://berty.tech/faq
• https://simplex.chat/#comparison
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_instant_messaging_protocols
• 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
• Matrix
  • Element

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 - Mixnet with store & forward
  
• Session - Mixnet with store & forward
• Briar - Tor

Distributed

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

• Jami - DHT
• Cabal - DAT protocol based
  
• https://tox.chat/ - DHT