Compare
ChatVia vs WhatsApp, Signal & Telegram
ChatVia is built to keep conversations: permanent, searchable across years, and stored in India. WhatsApp and Signal lead on end-to-end encryption today; ChatVia is honest that its full end-to-end model ships at v1.0. Here's a fair, side-by-side look. Defaults and public information as of June 2026.
| Dimension | ChatVia | Signal | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Message permanence | Kept by default: history lives on the server, not just your phone | On-device; lost without a working device backup | On-device by default; minimal server retention | Cloud chats kept on Telegram servers |
| Full-text search across years | Yes, search years of messages and files instantly | Limited to what is on the current device | Limited to what is on the current device | Yes, for cloud chats |
| Data residency (India) | Stored on servers physically inside India | Meta global infrastructure | Servers operated by Signal (US non-profit) | Distributed global infrastructure |
| Pricing model | Storage-only: no per-user, per-message or per-seat fees; free tier at launch | Free | Free (donation-funded non-profit) | Free; optional paid Premium tier |
| Encryption (today) | Encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM) + in transit; full end-to-end encryption ships at v1.0 with a third-party audit | End-to-end encrypted by default | End-to-end encrypted by default | Cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted; only opt-in Secret Chats are |
| Operator access to messages (today) | Yes: operators retain technical access for incident response until v1.0 E2E encryption ships | No: provider cannot read message content | No: provider cannot read message content | Yes for cloud chats; no for Secret Chats |
| Cross-device history | Rehydrates automatically on every new device | Companion devices; history not fully carried over | Linked devices; limited history transfer | Full history on every device (cloud chats) |
| Delete means delete | Permanently delete any message, file or conversation | Delete for everyone within a time window | Delete for everyone; disappearing messages | Delete for everyone, any time (cloud chats) |
Comparison reflects default configurations and publicly available information as of June 2026; rival apps may add features over time. For ChatVia's exact security posture today and at v1.0, see the security page. More on the philosophy: why ChatVia was built to keep.
Where ChatVia fits
Built to keep, not just to send.
If you want a messenger where your conversations are kept permanently, searchable for years, and stored in India, ChatVia is built for that. If end-to-end encryption today is your single hard requirement, Signal or WhatsApp lead there now, and ChatVia's full end-to-end model ships at v1.0 alongside a third-party audit.
You're on the list
Thanks, we'll be in touch.
We'll write to you from a real person at ChatVia, first with what's coming, then with your invite when it's your turn.