Signal is the more mature, more polished, more widely used messenger. beChat is newer, anonymous, European-hosted, and has post-quantum signatures. Both have strong post-quantum encryption. If you need a phone-number-free, European secure messaging app, beChat is built for that. If you need a mature, multi-platform, audited messenger, Signal is the safer choice today.
Where Signal and beChat match
- Double Ratchet. Both use the Double Ratchet construction for per-message key derivation with forward secrecy and post-compromise security. Signal pioneered this; beChat implements it from scratch in Rust.
- Continuous post-quantum ratcheting. Signal uses SPQR (Triple Ratchet, ML-KEM-768, since October 2025). beChat uses ML-KEM-1024 in every ratchet step. Both re-key with post-quantum secrets throughout a session, providing post-quantum forward secrecy and post-compromise security.
- Sealed sender. Both implement sealed sender, hiding the sender's identity from the server during message routing. Signal uses a short-term server-issued certificate; beChat uses server-issued delivery tokens.
- Zero-knowledge server. Both servers store only encrypted blobs. Neither can read message content.
- No analytics, no ads, no tracking SDKs. Neither app includes analytics, crash reporting, advertising libraries, or third-party data-collection code. Both use Google FCM for Android push delivery with encrypted, content-free payloads.
Where beChat wins
- Anonymous accounts. beChat registers you with an 8-character PIN and a device fingerprint. No phone number, no email, no legal name. Signal requires a phone number, which ties your identity to a telecom provider and, in most countries, a government ID. A phone number can be SIM-swapped, recycled, or exposed in a breach. A PIN cannot.
- Post-quantum signatures. beChat uses ML-DSA-87 (FIPS 204) for post-quantum digital signatures. Signal uses classical XEdDSA. If a quantum computer is built, Signal's signatures could theoretically be forged, though the continuous ratchet limits the window. beChat's signatures are quantum-resistant.
- European hosting. beChat runs on an independent European hosting provider in Germany, governed by Belgian law. Signal is hosted in the US (Signal Foundation) and is subject to US jurisdiction, including the CLOUD Act. If US government access is a concern, beChat is outside that reach.
- NIST-standardized PQ for both key exchange and signatures. beChat is the only messenger that uses NIST-standardized post-quantum algorithms (FIPS 203 and 204) for both key exchange and signatures.
Where Signal wins
- Maturity and polish. Signal has been in development since 2014, has millions of users, and is a polished, battle-tested app. beChat is in open beta on Android only. Signal has group voice and video calls, sticker packs, message reactions, and a mature desktop client. beChat has 1:1 voice/video and group text chats.
- Multi-platform support. Signal runs on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux. beChat runs on Android only (iOS and desktop are planned).
- Open source. Signal's code is open source under AGPL. beChat's client is closed source (beta), with an audit planned.
- Formal verification. Signal's protocol is formally verified with ProVerif and F*, meaning the protocol's security properties are mathematically proven. beChat's protocol is not formally verified.
- Independent audit. Signal has been audited multiple times. beChat has an audit planned but has not yet been independently audited.
- User base. Signal has millions of users. beChat has a small user base. A messenger is only useful if your contacts are on it.
The honest take
If you want a polished, audited, multi-platform, formally verified messenger and do not mind sharing your phone number, Signal is the safer choice today. Signal's SPQR continuous post-quantum ratcheting is strong, formally verified, and shipping in production. beChat does not claim to be better than Signal overall.
beChat's edges are specific: anonymous accounts (no phone number), post-quantum signatures (ML-DSA-87), and European hosting (Germany, governed by Belgian law, outside US CLOUD Act). If those three things matter more to you than polish, network size, and formal verification, beChat is built for exactly that use case.
You can also use both. There is no rule that says you must use one messenger. Use Signal for contacts who are already on it. Use beChat for conversations where you want anonymity or where European jurisdiction matters. The trade-offs are real, and the right choice depends on your threat model.
Frequently asked questions
Is beChat better than Signal?
Not in general. Signal is mature, audited, multi-platform, open source, and formally verified. beChat is in open beta on Android. Both have continuous post-quantum ratcheting. beChat differs from Signal in three ways: anonymous accounts (no phone number), post-quantum signatures (ML-DSA-87), and European hosting under Belgian law. Signal differs from beChat in three ways: formal verification, multi-platform support, and a large user base.
Do Signal and beChat use the same encryption?
Both use the Double Ratchet for message encryption. Signal uses PQXDH (Kyber-1024) for the initial key exchange and SPQR (ML-KEM-768) for continuous ratcheting. beChat uses ML-KEM-1024 for both the initial exchange and every ratchet step. Both re-key with post-quantum secrets throughout a session. beChat additionally uses ML-DSA-87 for post-quantum signatures, which Signal does not.
Should I switch from Signal to beChat?
It depends on your priorities. If you want anonymous accounts (no phone number) and European hosting, beChat is built for that. If you want a mature, audited, multi-platform messenger with a large user base, Signal is the safer choice today. Both have strong post-quantum protection. You can use both: Signal for contacts who are already on it, beChat for conversations where you want anonymity.
Keep reading
See the full comparison table with all 8 messengers, read about beChat as a European secure messaging app, or learn how beChat works in detail.