Session

Session is an encrypted messaging app for people who want an account that is not tied to a phone number or email address. It suits privacy-conscious users who need desktop and mobile clients, but its public communities and beta calls call for more caution than its private chats.

Overview

Session uses onion requests to route messages so that no single server knows both who sent a message and who receives it. Its open-source code can be independently audited, and Quarkslab audited its desktop, Android and iOS clients. Those safeguards make Session a considered choice for private messaging, though its protection varies by feature.

Encrypted group chats support up to 100 people, and messages can be set to disappear. Communities are large public channels, not private group chats: they are not fully end-to-end encrypted. Attachments are encrypted on the device and stored through the Session File Server, with a 10MB limit. That covers modest files, but is restrictive for people who regularly share larger media or documents.

Recovery has important limits. It retrieves messages from the last 14 days, and contacts may be unrecoverable if all devices have been offline for more than 30 days. Session is therefore a poor sole archive for conversations that must remain recoverable. Mobile push notifications can use Firebase Cloud Messaging on Android and Apple Push Notification Service on iOS, so notification delivery may involve those services.

Key features

Private messaging and calls

Session’s one-to-one and group messaging is the stronger part of its privacy proposition. Calls are less mature: voice and video calling remain beta, support only one-to-one conversations, and use peer-to-peer networking. A call can expose a user’s IP address to the other participant and to an STF-operated STUN/TURN server. That makes calls a poor choice for anyone who needs to avoid revealing their IP address; group calling is not supported.

Help and recovery

The maker directs users who need help to its support portal. Together with the short message-recovery window and the risk of losing contacts after prolonged device inactivity, this means users should not treat Session as a dependable long-term record of important conversations.

Pricing

Session has a free plan and one paid tier. Free costs nothing and includes encrypted messaging, attachments up to 10MB and signup without a phone number. It is the sensible starting point for anyone who wants Session’s core messaging without a subscription; the file-size cap is its clearest practical constraint.

Pro costs $2.99 a month, billed from $2.99 USD/Month. It adds messages up to 10,000 characters, unlimited pinned conversations, animated display pictures and badges. It fits users who want those presentation and organization options, but the listed additions do not change the attachment cap, call limitations or recovery limits.

Platforms

Session runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. Desktop support alongside mobile makes it a viable option for people who want to continue chats across phone and computer. There is no web platform among its supported platforms.

Who it's for

Session is best for people who prioritize account privacy, encrypted private chats and open-source software across mobile and desktop. Its 100-person encrypted groups also suit communities that need private group discussion. It is a weaker fit for people who rely on large attachments, fully private public channels, group calls or reliable long-term recovery.

Pros and cons

Pro: Signup needs no phone number or email address, reducing the personal contact details attached to an account.

Pro: Onion-request routing, open-source code and audited desktop and mobile clients provide concrete privacy safeguards.

Pro: Encrypted group chats support up to 100 people, with disappearing messages for conversations that should not persist indefinitely.

Con: Communities are not fully end-to-end encrypted, so they should not be used for confidential discussion.

Con: Attachments stop at 10MB, and calls are beta, one-to-one only and can reveal an IP address to participants and an STF-operated server.

Con: Recovery covers only 14 days of messages, while contacts can become unrecoverable after more than 30 days with all devices offline.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Encrypted Messaging Apps. Consider Olvid if you want a free plan with unlimited messages and attachments, secure group discussions and ephemeral messages across mobile, desktop and web. Wire is another freemium option across mobile, desktop and web; its source code is fully open source and available for verification.

Cyph may suit large teams prioritizing telehealth: its large-team plan is $7 a month for 26+ users, 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage and unlimited encrypted voice, video and group calling. Choose imo if you want a free calls-and-messages app across mobile, desktop and web, bearing in mind carrier data charges may apply. Jami is a free alternative available on mobile, desktop and web.

Messenger is a free option for general messaging across mobile, desktop and web. SimpleX Chat is free and available across mobile, desktop, web and self-hosted platforms; alternative client applications based on its code must publish modifications under AGPLv3. Threema is a paid option with a free trial and apps across mobile, desktop, web and self-hosted platforms.

Verdict

Choose Session if you want encrypted messaging without attaching a phone number or email address, plus open-source clients on desktop and mobile. Its strongest case is the combination of account privacy and encrypted groups; its clearest reasons to look elsewhere are the 10MB attachment ceiling, uneven privacy in public communities, beta calls that can expose IP addresses, and limited recovery.