Private communication has long been called: using Messenger. The selection of such apps is large. Because it is convenient, many simply reach for the market leader. But is that the best choice? A test reveals it.
Secure end-to-end encryption, versatile functions, ease of use and economical use of user data: these are the requirements that Stiftung Warentest places on a good messenger.
In a current comparison of 16 corresponding apps, only 4 applications more or less met these requirements and received the overall grade good (“test” issue 3/22).
Just four good smartphone messengers
Test winner was Signal (grade 2.3). The messenger scores with versatile functions as well as easy operation and convincing encryption. The product testers consider Viber and Wire to be “very good for news”. They share second place (each with a grade of 2.5) with Skype, which is particularly good at video telephony, but weakens when it comes to encryption.
Market leader WhatsApp shares third place with Line. However, the overall grade of 2.6 in each case only corresponds to the overall grade of satisfactory. The testers rated it positively that WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption by default.
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Maue privacy statements
However, the app collects masses of user data and shares some of it with the parent company Meta (formerly Facebook). The Warentest recommendation is therefore signal: This messenger is functionally better and offers more settings and security options.
Incidentally, with the exception of Wire, the experts found clear deficiencies in the data protection declaration for all apps. This means devaluation at Stiftung Warentest and is the main reason why the overall rating in the test field was not very good.