The Briar Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Briar in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Briar
The Insider’s Guide
Serverless encrypted messaging that syncs over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from Briar’s own pages.
Made by The Briar Project · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Briar’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Briar’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 60 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade
Briar is a free, open-source messaging app built for activists and journalists. It has no central server: messages sync directly between devices over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and are stored on each device. It offers private messages, forums and blogs. The project says it is in maintenance mode.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Briar, taken from its own pages and our grades.
But the team says it is in maintenance mode, with no account backup, no file attachments and heavy battery use on Android.
- 1
Best for messaging that works without a server or internet
Briar syncs messages straight between devices over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so there is no server to block.
- 2
It is free
Briar has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
Android, Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
No central server
Messages are synchronized directly between users' devices, so there is no server to block or take down.
- 5
Tor, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sync
With internet, Briar syncs over Tor. Without it, devices can sync over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or memory cards.
- 6
Private messages, forums and blogs
Besides one-to-one chat, it offers public forums and blogs, and desktop releases added private groups.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 60 of 75
That is against the other team communication apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Briar is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Briar at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, Android
- Made by
- The Briar Project
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for messaging that works without a server or internet
Briar syncs messages straight between devices over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so there is no server to block. But the team says it is in maintenance mode, with no account backup, no file attachments and heavy battery use on Android. If you need an iPhone app or a tool that is still gaining features, look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source with no paid plan, a program anyone can download. Donations only. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free for good, no account, no ads, nothing locked behind a payment. |
| Features | C | Private 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record. You add each contact in person or by link, and the desktop version is still labelled beta. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Android plus Windows, Mac and Linux desktop (beta). No iPhone version, no web version and no integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Briar is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Activists and journalists needing censorship-resistant messaging
- Groups that must keep talking during internet blackouts
- Users who want data to stay on their own devices
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Briar is free to use.
Free and open source with no paid plan, a program anyone can download.
Free
$0
Free and open source. No paid plans; the project accepts donations and grants.
Read from briarproject.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux and Android
Serverless encrypted messaging that syncs over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, end-to-end encrypted, team chat.
Private chats, forums and blogs, which covers the basics.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Briar is made by The Briar Project.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
60/75
Other team communication apps it is graded above
Briar's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 60 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 60 of 75) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Briar has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 76 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Briar’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 58 of 75
- AFree plan and trialAbove 60 of 75
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 75
- CEase of useAbove 11 of 75
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 9 of 75
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 66 team communication apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Briar is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Briar is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 60 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android that stay in step with each other.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
What this rests on. Briar’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat and Delta Chat
The 5 tools Briar is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Jami
Free
Peer-to-peer encrypted chat, calls and video conferences.
- Only Jami lists an iOS app.
- Jami also covers video calls and file sharing.
- 3.2GPA
Signal
Free
Nonprofit messenger with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls.
- Only Signal lists an iOS app.
- Briar is open source, according to its own site.
- Signal also covers video calls.
- 3.0GPA
Matrix
Free
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls.
- Only Matrix lists a web app.
- Only Matrix lists an iOS app.
- Matrix is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
SimpleX Chat
Free
Private messenger that uses no user identifiers at all.
- Only SimpleX Chat lists an iOS app.
- SimpleX Chat also covers video calls.
- 3.2GPA
Delta Chat
Free
Free decentralized messenger with end-to-end encryption.
- Only Delta Chat lists an iOS app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Briar free?
Yes. Briar is free to use.
How much does Briar cost?
Briar lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Briar work on?
Briar is available on Android, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Briar have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Briar is listed for Android, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Briar open source?
Yes. Briar is open source, according to its own site.
Is Briar end-to-end encrypted?
Briar describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
Does Briar work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Briar?
Briar is made by The Briar Project.
What are the alternatives to Briar?
The closest alternatives to Briar in our directory are Jami, Signal, Matrix, SimpleX Chat and Delta Chat.
How does Briar compare with other team communication apps?
Briar's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 60 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 6.
Is Briar good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Briar A for value for money. Briar has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Briar?
Briar is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Briar’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from The Briar Project's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by The Briar Project. Prices change, so check briarproject.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Briar, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/briar
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Briar: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/briar
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/briar/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after Briar, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Team Communication Insider's GuideEvery one of the 76 team communication apps we grade, compared
- Discord Insider's GuideFree text, voice and video chat built around servers3.6 GPA
- Pumble Insider's GuideTeam chat with unlimited message history on the free plan3.6 GPA
- Zoho Cliq Insider's GuideTeam chat, calls and meetings from the Zoho suite3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Briar’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Briar is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by The Briar Project. Prices and plans change: check briarproject.org before you buy.