Side by side

Berty vs Messenger

Both stand on encrypted messaging apps. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Berty

Free plan AndroidiPhone

Berty focuses on private, decentralized messaging and offline reach without requiring conventional account details. Its early development status and stated security and feature limitations are important for sensitive communications.

Visit Berty

Messenger

Free plan AndroidiPhoneMac+2

Messenger combines messaging, calls and media sharing with options for encrypted chats and temporary content. Check whether its AI and encryption availability meet your needs, particularly since Meta says default encryption is still rolling out.

Visit Messenger

The facts

	Berty	Messenger
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Android, iPhone	Android, iPhone, Mac, Web, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	berty.tech	meta.com
On encrypted messaging apps	#10 of 43	#14 of 43

Berty: what it does well

Free forever and open source
End-to-end encryption enabled by default
Bluetooth messaging can work offline
No email or phone registration required
Peer-to-peer network without cloud storage

What to know first

IP addresses are not hidden
Protocol has no independent audit
No voice or video calls
No disappearing messages or encrypted backups

Messenger: what it does well

Free plan for messaging and calls
Voice and video calls are available
Stories and shared Notes disappear after 24 hours
Encrypted chat history can use secure storage
Available on Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows

What to know first

Meta AI is limited to select languages and countries
Disappearing messages require end-to-end encrypted conversations
Meta says default end-to-end encryption is still becoming available

Alternatives to Berty Alternatives to Messenger The whole list