Briar vs SimpleX Chat (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SimpleX Chat grades higher than Briar: 3.2 against 3.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SimpleX Chat grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
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
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 SimpleX Chat if
- Fits if you do not want to give a phone number or email
- Works for privacy-minded people who want groups and calls on phone and desktop
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a team workspace, as it is a messenger with groups
- Watch out: iOS push notifications go through servers run by SimpleX Chat Ltd
- Watch out: a mobile profile can link to a desktop but not run independently on several devices
- Skip it if you want a browser version, as none is listed
How we grade them
| 3.0GPABriarVery good | 3.2GPASimpleX ChatVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source with no paid plan, a program anyone can download. Donations only. | AFree and open source on every platform. No paid plan was published. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree for good, no account, no ads, nothing locked behind a payment. | AFree outright, with every app, groups, channels and calls at no charge. |
| 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. | CDirect chats, groups, channels, calls and linked devices. A messenger rather than a workspace, and a profile cannot run on several devices independently. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You add each contact in person or by link, and the desktop version is still labelled beta. | BNo rating on record, but you install it and start with no account to create. |
| Platforms and integrations | BAndroid plus Windows, Mac and Linux desktop (beta). No iPhone version, no web version and no integrations. | BiPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. No web version and no API on the pages read. |
| Best for | messaging that works without a server or internet | private messaging with no user identifiers |
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 SimpleX Chat. 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. SimpleX Chat has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
SimpleX Chat scores higher 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 SimpleX Chat 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
- SimpleX Chat also covers video calls.
At a glance
| Briar | SimpleX Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | The apps for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux are free and open source. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Briar Project | SimpleX Chat Ltd |
| Price read from | briarproject.org | simplex.chat |
| 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.
SimpleX Chat
- iOS push notifications currently go through servers run by SimpleX Chat Ltd, according to the privacy policy.
- The FAQ has an entry on why one profile cannot be used independently on several devices; a mobile profile can only be linked to desktop.
- The site describes future paid server credits for large communities, but no paid plan was published when read.
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.
SimpleX Chat
- No user identifiers
- The site says the network has no user IDs of any kind; each connection uses separate queues instead of an account.
- Contacts stored on your device
- Contacts and groups live on the device, not in a server database, and chat profiles can be separated.
- Groups and channels
- Group chats, public channels and a community directory are covered in the guide, with a bot SDK for automations.
- Audio and video calls
- Calls are available in the apps; the FAQ says the app shows whether a given call has end-to-end encryption.
- Linked devices
- A mobile profile can be linked to the desktop app; the FAQ says one profile cannot be used independently on several devices.
- Run your own servers
- Guides explain how to host message, file and WebRTC servers; the site says no single entity controls the network.
Plans
Briar
Free$0
Free and open source. No paid plans; the project accepts donations and grants.
SimpleX Chat
Free$0
All apps, direct chats, groups, channels and calls at no charge.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Briar or SimpleX Chat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Briar and SimpleX Chat are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Briar or SimpleX Chat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Briar and SimpleX Chat have a free plan.
Which platforms do Briar and SimpleX Chat run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only SimpleX Chat 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.