Wire
Switzerland
Swiss-made encrypted messaging app with end-to-end encryption for both personal chats and business teams.
A secure messenger founded in 2012 by a team that included Skype co-founder Janus Friis. Wire started as a polished consumer chat app and has since refocused on the enterprise and public-sector market, where end-to-end encryption is a procurement requirement rather than a nice-to-have.
What you get
- End-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, with the MLS protocol for group chats
- Federation for organisations that want to host their own backend and still talk to others
- Self-hosted server deployment for customers that need full data control
- Native clients for desktop, web, iOS and Android, all open-source on GitHub
- Guest rooms and external collaboration without forcing the other side to sign up
Where it sits
Wire's commercial entity is now headquartered in Berlin with roots in Switzerland, and it markets heavily to European governments. The German federal administration is a public reference customer, as are several other ministries.
Honestly
The personal free tier has been quietly squeezed over the years; today Wire is really aimed at organisations rather than individuals. If you want a Signal-style messenger for friends, look elsewhere. If you want an MLS-based encrypted messenger your IT team can run on its own servers, Wire is one of the few credible options.
United Kingdom
France