Briar vs Keet (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Briar and Keet share a 3.0 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which platforms you need.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Briar
Serverless encrypted messaging that syncs over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Briar if
- Fits if you need to keep talking when the internet is cut off
- Works for activists and journalists who want messages kept only on their own devices
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use an iPhone, as there is no iOS app
- Not for you if you want new features, because the project says it is in maintenance mode
- Too light for anything file-heavy, with no attachments listed
- Watch out: no account backup, so a lost phone can mean lost chats
- Watch out: Android battery use is high and the desktop apps are beta
Pick Keet if
- Fits if you want private chat and calls without a phone number
- Works for small groups who trade big files directly
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want managed workplace chat, as there is no admin console
- Watch out: lose your seed phrase and you cannot move your chats to a new device
- Watch out: mobile apps are offered only in supported regions, with an Android file as the fallback
- Too light for teams that need integrations, since none are listed
How we grade them
| 3.0GPABriarVery good | 3.0GPAKeetVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source with no paid plan, a program anyone can download. Donations only. | AFree for everything, with no subscriptions, premium features or ads. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree for good, no account, no ads, nothing locked behind a payment. | AFree outright. The vendor describes no paid plan or business edition. |
| Features | CPrivate chats, forums and blogs, which covers the basics. The team's own list of gaps includes no account backup and no attachments, and it is in maintenance mode. | CChat, calls, rooms and big file transfers. No admin tools, roles or integrations. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You add each contact in person or by link, and the desktop version is still labelled beta. | CNo rating on record. A 24-word seed phrase has to be kept to move to another device. |
| Platforms and integrations | BAndroid plus Windows, Mac and Linux desktop (beta). No iPhone version, no web version and no integrations. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android. No web version and no API. |
| Best for | messaging that works without a server or internet | peer-to-peer chat and calls with no phone number |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Briar and Keet. How we grade
Price against what you get
Briar has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Keet has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other team communication apps on the chart, none scores higher than Briar for less, and none scores higher than Keet for less.
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
Where they differ
- Briar is open source, according to its own site.
- Keet also covers video calls and file sharing.
In commonFree planAndroidWindowsmacOSLinuxEnd-to-end encryptedTeam chat
At a glance
| Briar | Keet | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | Free to use. The FAQ says there are no subscriptions, no premium features and no ads. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Briar Project | Holepunch |
| Price read from | briarproject.org | keet.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Keet
- Because there is no server, the site says your 24-word seed phrase is how you get your chats and contacts onto another device; keep it safe.
- The site describes no admin console, workspace roles or third-party integrations, so it suits personal and small-group chat more than managed workplace use.
- Mobile apps are offered through the App Store or Google Play 'in supported regions', and an Android APK is linked from the download page.
- The vendor describes Keet as free of charge; the site gives no paid plan or business edition.
Key features
Briar
- No central server
- Messages are synchronized directly between users' devices, so there is no server to block or take down.
- Tor, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sync
- With internet, Briar syncs over Tor. Without it, devices can sync over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or memory cards.
- Private messages, forums and blogs
- Besides one-to-one chat, it offers public forums and blogs, and desktop releases added private groups.
- Local storage
- Messages and the contact list are stored encrypted on the user's own device, not in a cloud.
- Briar Mailbox
- A mailbox delivers messages for people who are online at different times.
Keet
- Direct peer-to-peer transfer
- Messages, calls and files go straight between participants' devices, with no central server handling them.
- No phone number or email
- An account is created without personal details. Identity is a 24-word seed phrase, much like a crypto wallet.
- Audio and video calls
- One-to-one and group calls run over the same peer-to-peer connections, and the site says they are tuned for large group calls.
- Rooms and broadcast rooms
- Group rooms are open to join by link, and broadcast rooms let creators post to an audience that can react but not reply.
- Files of any size
- Files are sent device to device, and the FAQ says there is no size limit.
- Multi-device sync
- A second device is linked by scanning a QR code or using a sync link from a device that is already connected.
Plans
Briar
Free$0
Free and open source. No paid plans; the project accepts donations and grants.
Keet
Free$0
The whole app, with no paid tier.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Briar or Keet?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Briar and Keet are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Briar or Keet?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Briar and Keet have a free plan.
Which platforms do Briar and Keet run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Keet lists an iOS app. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.