How it compares
As of 30 October 2026, from each product’s own documentation. Objective facts only, taken from each product’s own pages.
| Product | On by default? | Source, checked 30 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaslight | Yes | Privacy Policy |
| Yes | WhatsApp Help Center: About end-to-end encryption | |
| Telegram | No. Only “secret chats”, which you start yourself, are end-to-end encrypted. | Telegram FAQ |
| No. Instagram’s Help Center says end-to-end encrypted messaging is no longer supported since 8 May 2026. | Instagram Help Center: End-to-end encryption on Instagram | |
| Messenger | Being rolled out. Meta says it is “in the process of” making it the default for personal messages. | Messenger Help: What end-to-end encryption means |
| Signal | Yes | Signal Terms & Privacy Policy |
All product names are trademarks of their owners. Their own privacy policies:
Gaslight’s servers still hold your UserID, your connections, your notification token and your last-seen time. Read exactly what, and for how long.
Encryption
End-to-end encrypted. No phone number or email.
Messages, photos, videos and voice messages are encrypted on your device before they are sent. Gaslight’s servers hold the encrypted data and cannot read it.
You are not asked for a phone number, an email address or a password. Your identity is a UserID generated on your device from a recovery phrase that never leaves it.
We cannot recover that phrase for you. If you lose it and your device, the identity is gone.
Verification
Check you are talking to the right person.
Each conversation has a 60-digit safety number, the same on both phones. Compare it in person, or scan the QR code on your contact’s phone to see whether it matches.
You can also add a contact by scanning their QR code instead of typing their UserID.
Vanishing messages
Turn on Vanishing Mode for a conversation.
With Vanishing Mode on, messages older than 24 hours are removed from your device.
It cannot stop the other person from keeping a copy, for example with a screenshot.
Media
Share photos, videos and voice messages.
Each file is encrypted on your device before it is uploaded. What the storage provider holds is an encrypted file it cannot open.
The one exception is a profile picture, which is not end-to-end encrypted. What we do and don’t protect.
How it works
Install and set up
The app generates your UserID on your device from a recovery phrase. No phone number, email or password.
Add someone
Add a contact by their UserID or by scanning their QR code, one person at a time.
Start talking
Text, photos, videos and voice messages are encrypted on your device before they are sent.
What people say
Tried Gaslight? Leave a review on the App Store or Google Play.
We offer nothing in return for a review. Reviews are shared elsewhere only with the reviewer’s permission.