BitChat vs Cwtch
BitChat
bitchat.free
Cwtch
cwtch.imSide by side
| Figure | BitChat | Cwtch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Encrypted Messaging Apps | 8.9 (#1) | 8.1 (#13) |
| Encryption | The project describes Noise Protocol end-to-end encryption for mesh messages and BitChat private envelopes for Nostr fallback messages. | Cwtch says all communication is end-to-end encrypted and takes place over Tor v3 onion services. |
| Platforms | The maker's site lists iOS, macOS, and Android builds; iOS requires version 16.0 or later, macOS 13.0 or later, and Android 8.0 or later. | The download page provides builds for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android; it says an iOS offering is not currently available. |
Plans
In their own words
BitChat
BitChat is a decentralized messaging app that uses Bluetooth mesh for nearby communication and Nostr relays for internet messaging. Bluetooth messages can pass between nearby devices across as many as seven hops without internet access. When Bluetooth is unavailable, the app can use Nostr; if neither route is available, messages can wait in a queue. Geographic chat rooms use geohash coordinates.
The app requires no account, phone number, or central server. Live mesh sessions use Noise XX for mutual authentication and forward secrecy, while private Nostr messages use an app-specific encrypted format that works only with BitChat clients. However, mesh announcements expose static keys and nicknames in cleartext, and a persistent per-device identifier can allow nearby listeners to follow a device over time and place. A triple-tap emergency wipe clears app data, including identity keys and queued messages. Android adds Wi-Fi Aware on supported devices and built-in Tor. BitChat is available for iOS, Android, and macOS, and is free.
Cwtch
Cwtch is a free decentralized messaging app for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Direct conversations use Tor v3 onion services to create anonymous peer-to-peer connections between profiles, and Cwtch says communication is end-to-end encrypted over those services. Both participants must be online for peer-to-peer chat. Group conversations and offline delivery use a third-party server designed to learn as little as possible about message contents or metadata. Group messaging is experimental: users must enable the Experiments and Group Experiment settings, and the project calls metadata-resistant group communication an active research area. Conversation history is not preserved between sessions by default, though it can be enabled for an individual conversation. The protocol is open, allowing bots, services, and interfaces to integrate with Cwtch; core library, Go bindings, and interface code are linked as open source. There is no global display-name registry, which the security handbook says increases impersonation risk. The project recommends version 1.17.2, released October 2, 2026, for security fixes. The plan costs nothing.