compare
Signal Desktop vs SimpleX Chat
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Signal Desktop | SimpleX Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript | Haskell |
| Licence | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Stars | 17k | 20k |
| Latest | v8.29.0 | v7.0.3 |
| Last push | 2026-10-01 | 2026-10-06 |
| Release cadence | too few releases | too few releases |
| Active contributors | 14 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 6 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Both replace WhatsApp. Alternatives to WhatsApp →
PartialSignal DesktopDesktop app linked to a Signal account on a phone.
Full replacementSimpleX ChatEncrypted messages, groups and calls with no phone number or user identifier, over relays you can host.
Signal Desktop
- v8.30.0-beta.12026-10-01Thanks to a few performance improvements, your CPU will be slightly happier during video calls (even if you're not smil…pre-release
- v8.29.02026-10-01Additional small tweaks, bug fixes, and performance enhancements. Thanks for using Signal!
- v8.29.0-beta.12026-09-23Additional small tweaks, bug fixes, and performance enhancements. Thanks for using Signal!pre-release
- v8.28.02026-09-23Small tweaks, bug fixes, and performance enhancements. Thanks for using Signal!
- v8.28.0-beta.32026-09-14Small tweaks, bug fixes, and performance enhancements. Thanks for using Signal!pre-release
SimpleX Chat
- v7.1.0-beta.62026-10-03New in v7.1.0-beta.6.pre-release
- v7.0.42026-10-03New in v7.0.3.pre-release
- v7.1.0-beta.52026-09-30New in v7.1.0-beta.5.pre-release
- v7.0.32026-09-26New in v7.0.3.
- v7.1.0-beta.42026-09-19New in v7.1.0-beta.4.pre-release
Signal Desktop
unsigned The latest release, v8.29.0, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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SimpleX Chat
✓ signed The latest release, v7.0.3, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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