In an attempt to increase the degree of convenience experienced by users, many online-based services employ a series of features that sacrifice the privacy of their personal information, with examples ranging from telemetry-based data collection practices to website cookies.
Apart from the service providers themselves, privacy-focused users also have to protect themselves against external malicious actors seeking to gain access to credentials the likes of email addresses and credit card information from non-encrypted conversations, which is where SimpleX Chat comes into play.
An almost zero-compromise chat client
Most instant messaging services try to streamline the setup process for a hassle-free user experience by hosting the conversation data on their servers to make cross-platform synchronization possible and handle backups externally in case the main device is no longer accessible.
Unlike other offerings, SimpleX Chat stores and encrypts the data on the client device through a user-set password and only temporarily hold messages on relay servers until they reach the recipient.
The client also foregoes the need for accounts based on email addresses or phone numbers, making use of unidirectional message queues instead and connecting on-device profiles with other users through dedicated one-time invitation links.
Unlimited customization potential and a bright future for enthusiasts
On top of letting you self-host relay servers, its open-source license allows the creation of tailor-made clients that better suit their tastes and needs, sometimes implementing features that the original developers cannot dedicate enough time to as they focus on the essentials.
One of my favorite parts regarding the user experience relates to the impressive degree of customization, providing users with not just the means to adjust the font size for those with lower visual acuity, but also create custom themes with unique accent colors, backgrounds and transparency settings.
A solid alternative to popular messengers
Given its excellent implementation of quantum resistant end-to-end encryption, lack of user identifiers and the option to separate conversations according to different profiles created on-device, SimpleX Chat should come in handy for those seeking to guard their conversations from any prying eyes.