Sr General Telegram WhatsApp Signal Remarks

No Feature
1 Date of 2013 2009 Gradually developed Older the application gets,
Origin as Open Source more reliable and stable it
revolution and fully becomes.
operational by 2014.
2 Corporate Telegram FZ LLC Facebook Signal Foundation Signal Foundation is a Non
(Russia) Subsidiary (Cofounded by Brian Profit organisation (Mission
(since 2014) Acton (one of the to develop open-
developers of source privacy technology
WhatsApp) in 2018). that protects free expression
and enables secure global
communication)
3 Country of Russia (developed by United States United States As per SANS Report 2020 on
Origin Durov Brothers). (Yahoo top 10 countries by origin of
Location keeps Developers) Cyber Threat, the Russia
changing (Russia to ranks 1 and USA is 10th.
Berlin and now
Dubai (operations)
and London (HQs).
4 Development Employee locations The major part The product is Signal App & WhatsApp both
History are kept secret of the software outcome of Open use the Signal protocol for
(probably says Dubai is proprietary Source Revolution Encryption (its code was
and St Petersburg). and no much and is extension of published on the Internet by
Application details information is Open Whisper Twitter in 2011). Unlike
are not known available. Only Project developed WhatsApp, the Signal App is
except the Coding the Signal by the community entirely based on Open
Language (C++) and Protocol used (with initial support Source Standards and is
the software by WhatsApp of Twitter). Fully being developed by the
Architecture. is open-source. Transparent. Community.
The details are
not known
except the
Architecture.
5 Public Censored in many Being a No controversy yet. The signal app was initially
Response countries. In India, proprietary Also it is being funded by donations
certain ISPs are protocol, it has recommended by through the Freedom of the
blocking it. suffered champions of Press Foundation and seed
several privacy like Edward capital from Brian Acton
spyware Snowden and Elon (who was also creator of
attacks. Also Musk. Whatsapp)
alleged to be
involved in
mass
surveillance.
Overall Proprietary Software Very small part Fully Open Source Signal is Recommended.
6. Comments and for Profit is Open source and Non Profit
Motive. and has Profit Motive.
Motive.
 Technical Comparison

Sr Technical Telegram WhatsApp Signal Remarks

No Feature
1 End to End No. The encryption is Partial. Data has End to End Truly End to End If any metadata
Encryption from Client to Server Encryption from Client to Encryption. Even that the Signal
and then Server to Client. But Metadata (like IP the metadata is server stores is
Client. Thus if the Address, Phone Number, encrypted. Even the last date
Server has the keys it Battery Level, GPS, Phone servers do not have (not time) each
can decrypt the number, Area Code, Apps access to the user connected
communication. Also opened through WhatsApp membership list, to the server.
E2E is not enabled by etc. are not encrypted). Also group title, or group
default. Backups in the servers are icon.
allegedly not encrypted.
2 Chat Inbuilt cloud based Third party clouds are used for Local backups can In Telegram the
Backups backup. Secret Chats Backups. Backups are not be enabled but is off backups are On
are not backed up. encrypted. by default. by default
while in Signal
they are Off by
default.
3 Screen Enabled only if No such feature. Enabled by default.
Security Secret chat option is
On.
4 Self Enabled only if No such feature. Enabled by default.
Destructing Secret Chat option is
Messages On.
5 Additional Automatic Screen Automatic Screen Lock and 2 Automatic Screen
Security Lock and 2 factor factor Authentication. Lock and 2 factor
Features (if Authentication. Authentication.
enabled)
6 Group Chat No No Yes.
Meta data
Security
Overall Signal is Recommended.
7. Comments