Choose your messenger

Iris Chat vs Signal vs Telegram

Iris Chat needs no provider account and lets you choose your message servers. Compare it with Signal and Telegram on identity, infrastructure, and privacy.

By Iris Chat · Reviewed 2 October 2026

Iris Chat

For encrypted chat without a provider account. Choose your message servers, run your own, or connect nearby without internet.

Signal

For everyday private conversations with end-to-end encryption by default, especially when your contacts already use it.

For public channels, large communities, and bots. Its ordinary cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted.

At a glance

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Messaging features and tradeoffs, reviewed 2 October 2026
What matters	Iris Chat [1]	Signal [2]	Telegram [3]
Provider account	None. Create identity keys on your device; no Iris account registration.	A Signal account is required, including with numberless signup.	A Telegram account is required.
Message servers	Choose compatible Nostr servers, including your own.	Signal’s service. A proxy can help you reach it.	Telegram’s service; independent servers are not supported.
Phone number	Not required.	Optional paid numberless signup on Android via Signal Login.	A number is required; a SIM-free number is an option.
Direct messages	End-to-end encrypted by default.	End-to-end encrypted by default.	Cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Secret Chats are.
Group messages	End-to-end encrypted.	End-to-end encrypted.	Cloud chats; not end-to-end encrypted.
Nearby, without internet	Yes. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi/LAN, subject to device support and permissions.	No. Sending and receiving messages require internet.	No. Sending and receiving messages require internet.
Devices	Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux. Testing coverage varies by platform.	Android, iOS, and linked desktop apps.	Mobile, desktop, and web. Secret Chats stay on their original devices.

Iris Chat vs Signal

No provider account. Your choice of servers.

Iris Chat creates identity keys on your device. There is no Iris service account to register. You can choose compatible Nostr message servers, including ones you run yourself, and keep your identity when changing servers. The Iris command line app gives scripts and agents the same freedom.

Signal now documents an optional paid numberless registration flow on Android. It still creates a Signal account on Signal’s service. Usernames also let people with phone-based accounts connect without sharing their number. Signal remains a strong choice for everyday encrypted messaging and voice or video calls. Usernames and number privacy · Signal features

Signal’s standard apps use its unfederated service. You can run a Signal proxy to help reach that service; it does not replace Signal as the account and messaging provider.

Iris uses Nostr Double Ratchet. A related cryptographic design does not make Iris the Signal app or give it the same implementation, security review, or guarantees. Read how Iris protects messages and where its limits are.

Iris Chat vs Telegram

Private groups, encrypted by default.

Telegram requires an account on its service and does not support independent message servers. Iris lets you choose the infrastructure carrying your conversations.

Iris encrypts direct and group messages end to end. Telegram offers cloud history, channels, and large groups; its end-to-end encrypted text conversations require a separate, one-to-one Secret Chat. Those chats do not sync to other devices. Telegram’s explanation

Telegram’s Bot Platform fits community automation. Iris’s command line app lets a script or agent participate in Iris conversations without a platform API key. Choose based on the people and tools you need to reach.

Try it with one person first.

Install Iris on both devices, exchange an invite, and check delivery and notifications in your normal routine. If nearby messaging matters, test it with internet disconnected on the actual devices you will use. Nearby delivery needs a working local connection; it cannot reach a distant contact by itself.

Android, iOS, and macOS are tested most actively. Linux and Windows receive less testing. Check current releases for your platform before relying on a particular feature.

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Sources and scope

This comparison is written by Iris Chat, not an independent reviewer. It covers messaging behavior, not a security ranking. Features change; check the linked documentation.