Freedom251 › Encrypted Messaging Apps
Molly
What Molly is
Molly is a free, independent Signal fork for Android that connects to Signal’s servers, allowing chats with Signal contacts. It supports voice and video calls, disappearing messages, and groups of up to 1,000 members. The app protects its local database with passphrase encryption, can lock automatically after a user-defined period or chosen conditions, and includes a secure RAM wiper for sensitive data in device memory. Multiple devices can pair with one account, and backups can move between Molly and Signal. Molly supports SOCKS proxies and Tor through Orbot. Notifications can use UnifiedPush, which requires access to a MollySocket server run by the user or provided publicly. Two editions are offered: Molly includes proprietary blobs, while Molly-FOSS excludes them and uses OpenStreetMap for location sharing. The project uses the AGPL-3.0-only license, supports reproducible builds, and says updates arrive every two weeks with security patches applied as soon as available. Official downloads are listed through F-Droid, Accrescent, and GitHub. There is no desktop app.
Who it suits
Molly suits Android users seeking Signal-compatible messaging with local encryption, privacy-network options, and device pairing. It also fits users who prefer free, AGPL-licensed software or a FOSS edition.
What it does well
- Connects with Signal contacts
- Passphrase database encryption and RAM wiping
- Supports Tor through Orbot and SOCKS proxies
- Pairs multiple devices to one account
- Free AGPL-3.0-only software
What to know first
- Android only
- No desktop app
- UnifiedPush requires a MollySocket server
- Molly edition includes proprietary blobs
Verdict
Molly provides Signal-compatible Android messaging with additional privacy and security controls. Choose between the standard and FOSS editions, and note the server requirement for UnifiedPush.
Facts from Molly's own pages
- App locking
- The app can lock automatically under user-defined conditions. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Backups
- Signal backups can be restored in Molly, and Molly backups can be restored in Signal. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Build verification
- Molly supports reproducible builds so others can reproduce the APK from its build process. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Compatibility
- Molly connects to Signal's servers so users can chat with Signal contacts. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Downloads
- Official downloads are listed through F-Droid, Accrescent, and GitHub. · molly.im, 8 Oct 2026
- Downloads and feedback
- Official download options include F-Droid, Accrescent, and GitHub; the project lists GitHub for bug reports and feature requests and Matrix for community chat. · molly.im, 9 Oct 2026
- FOSS edition
- Molly-FOSS is a version without proprietary software components; it uses OpenStreetMap for location sharing. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Molly connects to Signal's servers and can use SOCKS proxies or Tor through Orbot. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Local encryption
- Molly protects its app data at rest with passphrase encryption. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Locking
- Molly can lock automatically after a user-defined period of inactivity. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The project describes Molly as independent; the pages reviewed do not state a maker name, headquarters, or founding date. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Memory protection
- Molly includes a secure RAM wiper to shred sensitive data from device memory. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Memory security
- Molly includes a feature to securely shred sensitive data from device memory. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Multi-device
- Users can link multiple devices, including Android tablets, to one Signal account. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Network privacy
- Molly supports SOCKS proxies and Tor via Orbot. · molly.im, 8 Oct 2026
- Notifications
- Molly supports UnifiedPush notifications without Google, though UnifiedPush is unavailable on linked devices. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Molly is open source and is licensed under AGPL-3.0-only. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- Molly is an independent, security-focused fork of Signal for Android. · molly.im, 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to GitHub for bugs and feature requests and to Matrix for community discussion. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- UnifiedPush requirement
- UnifiedPush requires access to a MollySocket server, which users can run themselves or use as a public instance. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Updates
- The project says it updates Molly every two weeks and applies security patches as soon as they are available. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Versions
- Molly offers two versions: Molly, which includes proprietary blobs, and Molly-FOSS, which does not. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Where Molly stands on Freedom251
- Encrypted Messaging Apps#38 of 43
- Secure messaging apps#32 of 36