Signal
Encryption software
Confidentiality software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$1.99 per month
Free Trial unavailable
Free version
Small
Medium
Large
- Media and communications
- Public sector and nonprofit organizations
- Professional services (engineering, legal, consulting, etc.)
What is Signal
Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging application used for private one-to-one and group communications. It supports text messaging, voice and video calls, group chats, and file sharing across mobile and desktop devices. The product is commonly used by individuals and organizations that need confidential communications without relying on enterprise device management. A key differentiator is its use of the Signal Protocol and an architecture designed to minimize retained metadata while keeping the client and protocol implementations publicly scrutinizable.
End-to-end encrypted communications
Signal encrypts message content and calls end-to-end so the service cannot read the content in transit or at rest on its servers. It supports encrypted 1:1 and group messaging as well as voice and video calls. This makes it suitable for confidentiality-focused communications use cases where content protection is the primary requirement.
Widely reviewed cryptographic protocol
Signal uses the Signal Protocol, which is broadly analyzed and implemented in multiple messaging contexts. The app includes features such as safety number verification to help users confirm identity keys and reduce man-in-the-middle risk. This emphasis on verifiable cryptographic design provides clearer assurance than tools that rely on proprietary encryption implementations.
Cross-platform with practical features
Signal provides clients for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux, enabling secure communication across common endpoints. It includes group administration controls, disappearing messages, and encrypted attachments, which supports day-to-day operational use. For teams that need secure messaging without deploying a broader data security platform, it can be adopted with minimal infrastructure.
Limited enterprise administration controls
Signal is primarily a consumer-oriented secure messenger and does not provide the same level of centralized policy enforcement, compliance controls, or administrative tooling typical of enterprise mobility and secure communications suites. Organizations may find gaps around user lifecycle management, retention policies, and audit workflows. This can complicate regulated or large-scale deployments.
Not a data protection platform
Signal focuses on securing communications rather than protecting structured data, application-layer secrets, or data flows across databases and cloud services. It does not provide tokenization, field-level encryption for applications, or privacy engineering controls used for broader confidentiality programs. Buyers looking for enterprise-wide data confidentiality controls will typically need additional products.
Metadata and endpoint risks remain
End-to-end encryption protects content, but it does not eliminate all metadata exposure (for example, information visible to mobile carriers or OS-level telemetry outside the app). Like other messaging tools, Signal cannot fully mitigate risks from compromised endpoints, screenshots, or user behavior. Security outcomes still depend on device hygiene and operational practices.
Plan & Pricing
Pricing model: Free core product with an optional paid add-on (Signal Secure Backups).
Free tier/trial: Free core app available (permanently). No time-limited free trial stated on official site.
Detailed pricing (from official Signal support pages):
- Signal (core app): Free to use; no ads, no affiliate tracking; development is supported by grants and donations.
- Signal Secure Backups (optional): $1.99 per month — optional encrypted backup with up to 100 GB of media storage.
- Donations / Sustainer program: Users may make one‑time or recurring donations (amounts set by donor) via the app or website; payment methods and donation options are listed on the official support/donate pages.
Notes: Pricing information sourced only from Signal's official support website (support.signal.org). No enterprise or paid subscription tiers are listed on official site; the only explicit paid product feature found is the Secure Backups $1.99/month option.
Seller details
Signal Technology Foundation
Mountain View, California, USA
2018
Non-profit
https://signal.org/
https://x.com/signalapp
https://www.linkedin.com/company/signalapp/
