February’s App of the Month is a messaging app, just like WhatsApp or iMessage, but one that prioritises privacy and security. Chosen by our Front End Developer, Dom, this app is used by millions of people every day, for free and instantaneous communication anywhere in the world. This month’s App of the Month is Signal. 

What is Signal?

Signal is a messaging app that allows its users to send and receive communication from anywhere in the world, participate in HD voice and video calls, and explore a growing set of new features that help you stay connected – safely. 

As on WhatsApp and others alike, Signal uses your mobile number to identify you to your contacts, meaning there is no need for new usernames or passwords to remember and you can get started straight away.

On Android, you can even use Signal to send normal SMS and MMS messages to contacts who don’t have the app installed. And although these messages won’t have the same security protections, it is a handy little feature.

But what makes it different from the rest?

First and foremost, Signal is different from the rest because it genuinely protects your chats and your information. This is something that other messaging apps on the market have recently been in the firing line for not doing.

With Signal, privacy isn’t an optional mode — it’s just the way that Signal works, for ‘every message, every call, every time.’ In fact, the app makes it very hard for anyone who may intercept the data to work out what’s being said unless they are the specified recipient. That’s all thanks to a concept known as end-to-end encryption. 

Signal’s state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption is powered by the company’s open-source Signal Protocolm and this means that they can’t read your messages or listen to your calls. And nor can anyone else. Since Signal doesn’t store any user data, governments and other agencies can’t request it either – which means no potential leak scandals! 

But of course, whilst still ensuring extra security protocols, the app includes all of the basic messaging tools that any good messaging app needs; read receipts, emoji support, group chats, and voice and video calls. 

So what’s the final verdict?

Dom has made the switch and now uses Signal every day in replacement of other messenger apps, a switch catalysed by recent changes in their privacy policy. Dom gives Signal a 5 star rating, of course. It wouldn’t be our App of the Month if he didn’t!

Want to see last month’s favourite? Find it here, alongside other interesting blog posts like it.