Signal suits people who want a free messaging app that keeps chats and calls private and does not run on advertising. It comes from the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit, and the current version is 8.34.2. The download goes to the official server updates.signal.org; we do not host the file.
Open source encryption is the point of Signal
Signal puts privacy first. The developer says the Signal Protocol is open source, so it cannot read messages or listen to calls, and nobody else can either. The developer also says there is no data collection.
The code is public under the AGPL-3.0-only licence, at github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android. The Signal Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit funded by donations, not by advertisers or investors. The app shows no ads, which matches that model.
Texts, 50-person calls and Stories that vanish after 24 hours
A typical session starts with a text, voice message, photo, video, GIF or file. Signal sends these over your phone's data connection, so SMS and MMS fees are avoided. The app is free, though it includes in-app purchases.
Voice and video calls are encrypted, and group calls support up to 50 people. Group chats can hold up to 1,000 members, and admin permission settings control who can post and who manages the member list.
Stories take image, text or video and disappear after 24 hours. Privacy settings decide exactly who sees each one. The content rating is Everyone.
Signal next to WhatsApp and Messenger
WhatsApp, Facebook and Messenger are listed in the catalog as alternatives. Other organisations run them, so there is no feature comparison here. Signal itself has a nonprofit developer, public source code and no ads.
The app needs Android 6.0 or later and takes up 109.9 MB. Its package ID is org.thoughtcrime.securesms, and the first release date on record is May 24, 2010. Group chats go up to 1,000 people, and group calls up to 50.
What's new in 8.34.2
Version 8.34.2 was last updated on November 2, 2026.
Signal Private Messenger pros and cons
Pros
- No ads, according to the catalog data
- Open source code under AGPL-3.0-only on GitHub
- Group calls for up to 50 people and group chats up to 1,000
- Google Play rating of 4.5 from about 2.9 million ratings
- Free to use, with a nonprofit publisher funded by donations
Cons
- The package is 109.9 MB, large for a messenger
- Includes in-app purchases
- Needs Android 6.0 or later
- No independent security review is available
Is Signal Private Messenger safe?
Signal Foundation publishes the app, and the code is open on GitHub under AGPL-3.0-only, so anyone can read how messages are handled. The content rating is Everyone, and the app shows no ads, though it does offer in-app purchases.
How to install Signal Private Messenger
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Save the APK from that server to your phone.
- Open the file and allow installs from this source when Android asks.
- Finish the install, then open Signal Private Messenger from your app drawer.
