Ricochet Refresh

Windows · Mac · Linux

Freedom report

Two barsScore 5.2

Ricochet Refresh is ranked #43 of 55 in secure messaging apps on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

Ricochet Refresh plans and pricing

Free Free Open-source peer-to-peer messaging · native file transfer ricochetrefresh.net · 8 Oct 2026

Purpose: Ricochet Refresh is an open-source project for private and anonymous instant messaging.
Peer-to-peer: The app uses Tor to connect clients directly through Tor circuits.
Identity: When started, the app creates a Tor hidden service on the user's computer, whose address serves as their anonymous identity.
Metadata: The maker describes the messenger as metadata resistant, so others do not know who users talk to or what they say.
File transfer: The app includes secure file transfer.
Encryption: The maker says communications are end-to-end encrypted by default.
Data storage: Account data is stored locally on the user's computer, and the maker says there are no servers hosting user data.
Open source: The source code is available for inspection and development.
Security updates: The maker says it releases updates roughly monthly when upstream dependencies publish security updates.
Security caveat: The maker says timing attacks could in theory unmask an anonymous user's identity, though they do not reveal message contents.
Intended users: The maker highlights whistleblowers, activists, and journalists as people the software may help protect.
Contact setup: To start a chat, users add the other person's Ricochet Refresh hidden-service address to their contacts.
Release verification: The maker says all releases are GPG signed and provides SHA256 sums.
Support: The team lists [email protected] as a contact address.
Price from: Free

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