Comparison
Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp: Which Has Better Features?
On January 6, all the WhatsApp users had received an in-app notification about the new WhatsApp Privacy Policy. The new privacy policy clearly states that users must have to share their entire valuable data with WhatsApp’s parent company and a tech giant called Facebook. After the announcement, messaging applications called Signal and Telegram came into the spotlight and gained higher rankings on the play store and Apple app store within a few hours. Now, most of the users have lots of doubts regarding these three messaging applications. The question arises, which application has better features high-end security with end-to-end encryption? In this article, we will be looking for the best messaging app among Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp. We will also talk about Signal vs WhatsApp vs Telegram Features. So, without any further ado, let’s get started with a short introduction first.
Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp: The Privacy Nightmare
Of course, all the above-mentioned applications are instant messaging applications. We can also share different media files such as photos, videos, and documents as well as using these apps. However, all three applications work on different rules and protocols. After the new WhatsApp privacy policy incident, Signal and Telegram came into the news for better privacy features. We have divided this article further into two different segments where we will talk about Security and Features. As privacy is the most important thing for all the people around the world, the current situation needs to be discussed thoroughly in front of everybody. Check out below for a detailed explanation of everything that has happened in the past few days.
What is Signal?
Signal is a cross-platform encrypted instant messaging service produced by the Signal Foundation and Signal Messenger LLC. The Signal app is similar to WhatsApp, but not in terms of privacy. It uses the internet to send encrypted messages to individuals and in groups as well. It allows sending rich media files such as voice messages, images, and videos. Users can also use it to make individual and group voice and video calls.
What is Telegram?
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging platform that allows users to chat with their friends, family, etc. It also allows users to share large-size files easily. The concept of Telegram is the same as other messaging apps. Notably, it has some extra features which make it different from other messaging apps. It is the fast and most secure messaging app available out there. Telegram is famous for its great privacy features. It allows users to edit already sent messages and we can also message someone without revealing our identity. Moreover, we can destroy the messages of both the users present in the chat. Also, we can even create groups with 2,00,000+ members with the help of this app.
Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp: In-Depth Comparison
Security
Starting with the security segment, which is the most essential matter to keep in mind while using any messaging application. Instant messaging applications should keep user’s sensitive information private because it is valuable. So, let’s start with the Signal’s security features first.
Signal
Signal is far better than WhatsApp and Telegram when it comes to security whether it is about back-end security or user-end security. Signal uses an open-source Signal Protocol to implement end-to-end encryption, which is implemented by WhatsApp too. Signal also protects the user’s data and metadata, which is necessary to protect the users’ privacy. The best part about Signal is that it uses advanced security protocols to enhance security. Signal has a feature called Sealed Sender, which hides the sender and receiver information from its developers too, which is amazing. It means not even Signal can look up your message content.
Telegram
Telegram offers kind of better security features as compared to WhatsApp. But, at the same time, it also has some pain points which are not enough for user’s privacy. Telegram supports End-to-end encryption, but users can not make use of it without enabling it. To access E2E, users have to use the Secret Chat feature. The Secret Chat feature does not even leave a single trace of your data on the Telegram servers. Moreover, users can also set a self-destruction timer, which is already present in WhatsApp. Secret Chat is a commendable feature. But, telegram should have an E2E in common chats as well. Regardless of that, Telegram has access to this common information which are contact Info, contacts, and user ID only.
WhatsApp is known for offering end-to-end encryption to its users. It means that no other third party can interrupt the recipient and you. Moreover, this End-to-end encryption protocol is followed in every communication feature WhatsApp has i.e voice calls, video calls, photo sharing, etc. Basically, it means that only the recipient can read the messages you send to them. Moreover, WhatsApp can not decrypt the contents of your messages, video calls, voice calls, photos, audio, and other media files due to security reasons. This was all about earlier updates. But, now the game has been changed. WhatsApp has the right to access your data and use it for their purposes. WhatsApp has access to your device ID, user ID, advertising data, purchase history, course location, phone number, email address, contacts, product interaction, and the list goes on. Data sharing is one of the significant drawbacks of WhatsApp when it comes to the privacy of users. Though WhatsApp has an inbuilt app lock, two-factor authentication, it does not mean that your data will not be shared anymore.
Features
Let’s take a look at the features offered by Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp and see which one offers the most advanced and better features.
Signal
The Signal application was at the first spot in terms of security. Now, it is time to look at its features. In Signal, we can do voice, video calls, and all other communications with End-to-end encryption. Moreover, we can also create groups. But, we can not broadcast the message with multiple contacts and this could be a major drawback to some users too. Besides these, Signal has recently introduced a group-video call feature, which was missing in the previous version. It also has some useful features such as a disappearing message, which is again similar to the self-destructing messages of Telegram. Signal also has a built-in option to hide your IP address, while communicating with someone. Furthermore, it has an incognito keyboard, which users can use while typing on the Signal app. Though Signal has fewer features as compared to others, those are pretty powerful than others.
Telegram
Telegram is overloaded with so many useful and advanced features. In Telegram, up to 2,00,000 people can join a particular group. We can also share files with a maximum size of 2GB. Moreover, it has some specific group features such as bots, polls, quizzes, hashtags, and a lot more to make groups more interactive. They have also added a new set of animated emojis for the users. With the People Nearby feature, users can see the exact location of the people they are conversing with. Users can easily access this feature from the privacy and security settings of Telegram. Although to access this feature, users must turn on the location. Moreover, to hide the actual identity, users can use the Chat Anonymously feature.
WhatsApp will always be ahead in the features section. It offers every feature we need for our day to day routine. WhatsApp allows creating a group with up to 256 members. At the same time, it allows users to broadcast messages to multiple contacts, which is not present in the Signal app as of now. WhatsApp has also increased the group video call limit to 8 people now. However, we can not share documents with a size of more than 100MB each, which is a downside of WhatsApp. Also, it does not allow sharing images, videos, and audio files with a size of more than 16MB each.
Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp: Which One is Better?
We have discussed every essential difference between Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp whether it is a security or any advanced feature. Now, it is time to talk about which one is the best. Well, all of these three are the best, but not in every segment. WhatsApp is better in terms of features, but not in terms of security. On the other hand, Telegram also has some small security flaws but has some advanced security features. Now, Signal is the one for now which we can rely on, in terms of security. Signal has multiple features to protect our sensitive information. It has a function to hide IP addresses. Furthermore, it also has a feature to hide messages from its developer too. Now, If you want more features, then Telegram is the best to go with. But, if you are looking for a messenger application with high-security features, then the Signal application is best to go with. You have to sacrifice something every time to find the best.
That’s all for today, folks. We hope you liked the Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp in-depth comparison. Lets us know your valuable thoughts on Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp. Keep stalking TechBurner for more exciting comparisons further.
Vishwajeet Tech
January 11, 2021 at 10:20 am
Thanks for this Information