The SimpleX Chat Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about SimpleX Chat 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.
SimpleX Chat
The Insider’s Guide
Private messenger that uses no user identifiers at all
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from SimpleX Chat’s own pages.
Made by SimpleX Chat Ltd · 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 SimpleX Chat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on SimpleX Chat’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
3.2
GPA, above 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade
SimpleX Chat is a free, open-source messenger whose network assigns no user identifiers, not even random ones, so servers do not hold a list of who talks to whom. Contacts, groups and channels are kept on the user's own device, and anyone can run a relay server.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about SimpleX Chat, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It has apps for phones and desktops, groups and calls.
- 1
Best for private messaging with no user identifiers
SimpleX is a free, open-source messenger with no phone number, username or account ID.
- 2
It is free
SimpleX Chat has no paid plan at all. The apps for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux are free and open source.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
No user identifiers
The site says the network has no user IDs of any kind; each connection uses separate queues instead of an account.
- 5
Contacts stored on your device
Contacts and groups live on the device, not in a server database, and chat profiles can be separated.
- 6
Groups and channels
Group chats, public channels and a community directory are covered in the guide, with a bot SDK for automations.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 67 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
SimpleX Chat is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
SimpleX Chat at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- SimpleX Chat Ltd
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for private messaging with no user identifiers
SimpleX is a free, open-source messenger with no phone number, username or account ID. It has apps for phones and desktops, groups and calls. iOS notifications run through the company's servers, and one profile cannot run independently on several devices.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source on every platform. No paid plan was published. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with every app, groups, channels and calls at no charge. |
| Features | C | Direct 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 | B | No rating on record, but you install it and start with no account to create. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. No web version and no API on the pages read. |
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 SimpleX Chat is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- People who do not want a phone number or account tied to their chats
- Communities that want a privacy-focused alternative to centralized chat
- Developers building bots on a published SDK
Worth knowing
- 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.
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
SimpleX Chat is free to use.
Free outright, with every app, groups, channels and calls at no charge.
Free
$0
All apps, direct chats, groups, channels and calls at no charge.
The free plan
The apps for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux are free and open source.
Read from simplex.chat on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Private messenger that uses no user identifiers at all. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, end-to-end encrypted, public API, team chat, video calls.
Direct chats, groups, channels, calls and linked devices.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
SimpleX Chat is made by SimpleX Chat Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
67/75
Other team communication apps it is graded above
SimpleX Chat's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 60 of 75) and worst on features (C, above 1).
SimpleX Chat has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 76 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. SimpleX Chat’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 58 of 75
- AFree plan and trialAbove 60 of 75
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 75
- BEase of useAbove 58 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. SimpleX Chat 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
SimpleX Chat 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 3.2 is higher than 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Video calls.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- An API that other software can build on.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
What this rests on. SimpleX Chat’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
Signal, Briar, Delta Chat, Matrix and Olvid
The 5 tools SimpleX Chat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Signal
Free
Nonprofit messenger with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls.
- SimpleX Chat is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Briar
Free
Serverless encrypted messaging that syncs over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
- 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.
- SimpleX Chat also covers video calls.
- 3.0GPA
Matrix
Free
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls.
- Only Matrix lists a web app.
- Matrix is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- SimpleX Chat also covers video calls.
- 3.0GPA
Olvid
Free plan · from €4.99/mo
End-to-end encrypted messenger needing no phone number.
- Only SimpleX Chat lists a Linux app.
- Only Olvid lists a web app.
- Olvid also covers chatbots.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 SimpleX Chat free?
Yes. SimpleX Chat is free to use.
How much does SimpleX Chat cost?
SimpleX Chat lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does SimpleX Chat work on?
SimpleX Chat is available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is SimpleX Chat open source?
Yes. SimpleX Chat is open source, according to its own site.
Is SimpleX Chat end-to-end encrypted?
SimpleX Chat describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site.
Does SimpleX Chat have an API?
Yes. SimpleX Chat offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes SimpleX Chat?
SimpleX Chat is made by SimpleX Chat Ltd.
What are the alternatives to SimpleX Chat?
The closest alternatives to SimpleX Chat in our directory are Signal, Briar, Delta Chat, Matrix and Olvid.
How does SimpleX Chat compare with other team communication apps?
SimpleX Chat's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is SimpleX Chat good value for money?
ToolGPA grades SimpleX Chat A for value for money. SimpleX Chat has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of SimpleX Chat?
SimpleX Chat 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 SimpleX Chat’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 SimpleX Chat'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 SimpleX Chat Ltd. Prices change, so check simplex.chat 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
- SimpleX Chat, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/simplex-chat
- 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, "SimpleX Chat: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/simplex-chat
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/simplex-chat/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after SimpleX Chat, 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 SimpleX Chat’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. SimpleX Chat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by SimpleX Chat Ltd. Prices and plans change: check simplex.chat before you buy.