Keet vs SimpleX Chat (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SimpleX Chat grades higher than Keet: 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.
Which one is for you
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
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
| 3.0GPAKeetVery good | 3.2GPASimpleX ChatVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for everything, with no subscriptions, premium features or ads. | AFree and open source on every platform. No paid plan was published. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright. The vendor describes no paid plan or business edition. | AFree outright, with every app, groups, channels and calls at no charge. |
| Features | CChat, calls, rooms and big file transfers. No admin tools, roles or integrations. | 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. A 24-word seed phrase has to be kept to move to another device. | BNo rating on record, but you install it and start with no account to create. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android. No web version and no API. | BiPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. No web version and no API on the pages read. |
| Best for | peer-to-peer chat and calls with no phone number | 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: Keet and SimpleX Chat. How we grade
Price against what you get
Keet 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 Keet 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 is open source, according to its own site.
- Keet also covers file sharing.
In commonFree planmacOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidEnd-to-end encryptedTeam chatVideo calls
At a glance
| Keet | SimpleX Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free to use. The FAQ says there are no subscriptions, no premium features and no ads. | 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 | Holepunch | SimpleX Chat Ltd |
| Price read from | keet.io | simplex.chat |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
Keet
Free$0
The whole app, with no paid tier.
SimpleX Chat
Free$0
All apps, direct chats, groups, channels and calls at no charge.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Keet or SimpleX Chat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Keet and SimpleX Chat are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Keet or SimpleX Chat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Keet and SimpleX Chat have a free plan.
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.