Alternatives · Team Chat
Briar alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Briar alternative is Jami (3.2 GPA). It's also the best free one.
Briar compared with 6 alternatives: Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat, Delta Chat and 1 more.
Briar is free to use. All 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| BriarThis tool | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, Android |
| Jami | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Signal | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Matrix | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| SimpleX Chat | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Delta Chat | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Keet | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Briar has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 6 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat and Delta Chat score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Briar
Jami
Peer-to-peer encrypted chat, calls and video conferences
- Jami is free.
- Jami also lists an iOS app.
- Jami also covers video calls and file sharing.
Suits: Groups that want a free, open-source chat with no account details
Signal
Nonprofit messenger with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls
- Signal is free.
- Signal also lists an iOS app.
- Signal also covers video calls.
Suits: Small groups that want private chats at no cost
Matrix
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls
- Matrix is free.
- Matrix also lists a web app and an iOS app.
- Matrix is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: Organizations that want to own their chat data on their own domain
SimpleX Chat
Private messenger that uses no user identifiers at all
- SimpleX Chat is free.
- SimpleX Chat also lists an iOS app.
- SimpleX Chat also covers video calls.
Suits: People who do not want a phone number or account tied to their chats
Delta Chat
Free decentralized messenger with end-to-end encryption
- Delta Chat is free.
- Delta Chat also lists an iOS app.
Suits: People who want a messenger without one company's central servers
Keet
Peer-to-peer chat and video calls with no phone number needed
- Keet is free.
- Keet also lists an iOS app.
- Keet also covers video calls and file sharing.
Suits: People who want chat that needs no phone number or email
Limits worth knowing in Briar
- In July 2026 the team said Briar is in maintenance mode: only essential security updates and bug fixes.
- The team lists missing features such as account backup and file attachments, plus high battery use on Android.
- Briar Desktop for Windows, macOS and Linux is labeled beta; the mobile app is Android only, with no iOS version.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Briar?
The alternatives to Briar in this directory are Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat, Delta Chat and Keet. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Briar.
Is there a free alternative to Briar?
Yes. Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat, Delta Chat and Keet are free to use.
Which Briar alternatives work on iOS?
The Briar listing does not include an iOS app. Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat, Delta Chat and Keet list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Nov 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.