{"slug": "session", "name": "Session", "category": "communication", "category_name": "Email and chat", "description": "", "recommenders": 4, "commenters": 13, "warners": 4, "score": 0.527, "rising": -0.31, "first": "2025-11-13", "latest": "2026-10-31", "why": "Session is a decentralized Signal fork that creates the account on the device without associating it with a phone number.", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 4, "compare": 2, "warn": 5}, "spark": [2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "Session is a decentralized Signal fork that creates the account on the device without associating it with a phone number.", "kind": "", "icon": true, "domain": "getsession.org", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://getsession.org/", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["Session"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 805050832, "item_id": 50315677, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315677", "by": "RunSet", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Session is a decentralized Signal fork that creates the account on the device without associating it with a phone number.", "excerpt": "> Signal 501c3 is a centralized service. XMPP and Matrix are decentralized/federated. SimpleX is distributed. Session is a decentralized Signal fork that creates the account on the device without associating it with a phone number. https://getsession.org/ See also maqp2's comment here regarding Simplex: https://web.archive.org/web/20250302182017/https://reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/13u8e24/simplex_chat_private_and_s", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}, {"id": 795135200, "item_id": 49695950, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49695950", "by": "RunSet", "date": "2026-09-14", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "> 100% e2ee encrypted and decentralized and open\n\nhttps://getsession.org", "excerpt": "> 100% e2ee encrypted and decentralized and open https://getsession.org https://docs.getsession.org/contribute-to-the-session-network/running-a-session-node", "context": "", "use_case": "Encrypted messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 763406224, "item_id": 47712889, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47712889", "by": "bdcravens", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Well, I guess they didn't sell out", "excerpt": "Well, I guess they didn't sell out https://getsession.org/a-messaging-app-that-cant-sell-out", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 741257427, "item_id": 46328589, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46328589", "by": "Imustaskforhelp", "date": "2025-12-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "some options i can recommend are matrix,simplex,session etc.", "excerpt": "Although I enjoy the public key/private key ideas, If you wish to talk encrypted, one of the best ways to do such could be having signal if you don't mind centralization But if you want decentralization some options i can recommend are matrix,simplex,session etc. But to be honest, there is a good point that you raise about how to talk decentralized on bluesky well, one of the ideas that I can think of right now, is t", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "I have to give Fortnite my passport to use Bluesky"}, {"id": 737363536, "item_id": 46085221, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46085221", "by": "wakawaka28", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Another vote for Session, I guess.", "excerpt": "Damn, what a shame... Another vote for Session, I guess. Idk what flaws that one has but it seems to be the leading alternative to Signal.", "context": "", "use_case": "Private messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 805057504, "item_id": 50316094, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50316094", "by": "ada-h00k", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "warn", "quote": "You should definitely avoid Session.", "excerpt": "You should definitely avoid Session. While its decentralized nature is a positive, the developers have implemented many features insecurely and have also removed forward secrecy. There are blog posts by a cryptography expert on this topic: https://soatok.blog/2025/01/14/dont-use-session-signal-fork/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}, {"id": 763267984, "item_id": 47704249, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47704249", "by": "racuna", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "warn", "quote": "I was locked out and couldn\u2019t access MY ACCOUNT.", "excerpt": "A few months ago, a Session update logged me out. I tried to log back in, but my passphrase caused Session to crash. I tried the Play Store version, the F-Droid version, and the desktop version. Support told me that login method had been around for a while, and I didn\u2019t know it. So suddenly, I was locked out and couldn\u2019t access MY ACCOUNT. I used to promote Session, but since their support response was basically a bi", "context": "former Session promoter", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 748651488, "item_id": 46790718, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46790718", "by": "itake", "date": "2026-01-27", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Session is a low-privacy fork of Signal.", "excerpt": "Session is a low-privacy fork of Signal. source: https://soatok.blog/2025/01/14/dont-use-session-signal-fork/ hn discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42707409", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kash Patel says FBI is investigating Signal chats of Minnesotans tracking ICE"}, {"id": 748647089, "item_id": 46790443, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46790443", "by": "lynndotpy", "date": "2026-01-27", "stance": "warn", "quote": "it's silly to compare Session to Signal when Session is flawed in its cryptography", "excerpt": "This changed about two years ago, when they added usernames. ( https://signal.org/blog/phone-number-privacy-usernames/ ) Signal can still tell law enforcement (1) whether a phone number is registered with Signal, and (2) when that phone number signed up and (3) when it was last active. That's all, and not very concerning to me. To prevent an enumeration attack (e.g. an attacker who adds every phone number to their sy", "context": "", "use_case": "encrypted messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kash Patel says FBI is investigating Signal chats of Minnesotans tracking ICE"}]}], "who": [], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["encrypted messaging", "messaging", "private messaging"], "compared": [{"slug": "signal", "name": "Signal", "co": 9, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "simplex", "name": "SimpleX", "co": 4, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 1}, {"slug": "matrix", "name": "Matrix", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [{"id": 759241248, "item_id": 47452578, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47452578", "by": "yougotwill", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used to work on Session and I believe in the project.", "excerpt": "I usually lurk here on HN but I used to work on Session and I believe in the project. Truly private messaging is a luxury these days. Session is very close to launching their Pro subscription which will make it more sustainable but they need help to to secure more time to get there. If you are able to help out by donating great if not please spread the word to your friends and communities? Thank you.", "context": "former Session developer", "use_case": "private messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session private messenger donation appeal"}], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47703065", "title": "Session is shutting down in 90 days", "mentions": 5}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50314666", "title": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46783254", "title": "Kash Patel says FBI is investigating Signal chats of Minnesotans tracking ICE", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46080916", "title": "Molly: An Improved Signal App", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45916596", "title": "UK Crime Agency Backs \"Upload Prevention\" Plan to Scan Encrypted Messages", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49689048", "title": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"neutral": 1, "recommend": 2}, "2025-12": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-01": {"compare": 1, "warn": 2}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {"warn": 2, "neutral": 2, "recommend": 1}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"compare": 1}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 1, "warn": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 805057504, "item_id": 50316094, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50316094", "by": "ada-h00k", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "warn", "quote": "You should definitely avoid Session.", "excerpt": "You should definitely avoid Session. While its decentralized nature is a positive, the developers have implemented many features insecurely and have also removed forward secrecy. There are blog posts by a cryptography expert on this topic: https://soatok.blog/2025/01/14/dont-use-session-signal-fork/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}, {"id": 805050832, "item_id": 50315677, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315677", "by": "RunSet", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Session is a decentralized Signal fork that creates the account on the device without associating it with a phone number.", "excerpt": "> Signal 501c3 is a centralized service. XMPP and Matrix are decentralized/federated. SimpleX is distributed. Session is a decentralized Signal fork that creates the account on the device without associating it with a phone number. https://getsession.org/ See also maqp2's comment here regarding Simplex: https://web.archive.org/web/20250302182017/https://reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/13u8e24/simplex_chat_private_and_s", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}, {"id": 795135200, "item_id": 49695950, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49695950", "by": "RunSet", "date": "2026-09-14", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "> 100% e2ee encrypted and decentralized and open\n\nhttps://getsession.org", "excerpt": "> 100% e2ee encrypted and decentralized and open https://getsession.org https://docs.getsession.org/contribute-to-the-session-network/running-a-session-node", "context": "", "use_case": "Encrypted messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 791811760, "item_id": 49488235, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49488235", "by": "TheqO", "date": "2026-08-29", "stance": "compare", "quote": "I noticed that more are using Session now and not Signal (no phone number or email required)", "excerpt": "I noticed that more are using Session now and not Signal (no phone number or email required) https://getsession.org", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "U.S. sanctions against the A/I Collective"}, {"id": 774243200, "item_id": 48390200, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48390200", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-06-03", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "Session is not shutting down", "excerpt": "Session is not shutting down (https://getsession.org/donate)", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "A New Path Forward for Session"}, {"id": 763406224, "item_id": 47712889, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47712889", "by": "bdcravens", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Well, I guess they didn't sell out", "excerpt": "Well, I guess they didn't sell out https://getsession.org/a-messaging-app-that-cant-sell-out", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 763296736, "item_id": 47706046, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47706046", "by": "egypturnash", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "The decentralized private messaging app", "excerpt": "Their logo actually links to their front page for once so it's not too hard to find out that Session is \"The decentralized private messaging app\", even if you're on a touchscreen. No need to fuss around and figure out how to get from \"session.blogplace.org\" to \"getsession.com\" by editing raw URLs like I feel happens with half the posts like this. It could still use a paragraph or two of \"why we believe it's important", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 763293569, "item_id": 47705848, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47705848", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "warn", "quote": "", "excerpt": "https://simplex.chat is the best option.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 763292416, "item_id": 47705776, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47705776", "by": "its-summertime", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "You don\u2019t need a mobile number or an email to make an account with Session.", "excerpt": "https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/05/session-encrypted-messaging-app-developer-moves-out-of-australia-police-visit-switzerland they moved more than their infra > They also require a phone number even! \"You don\u2019t need a mobile number or an email to make an account with Session.\" - https://getsession.org/faq#identity-protection", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 763267984, "item_id": 47704249, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47704249", "by": "racuna", "date": "2026-04-09", "stance": "warn", "quote": "I was locked out and couldn\u2019t access MY ACCOUNT.", "excerpt": "A few months ago, a Session update logged me out. I tried to log back in, but my passphrase caused Session to crash. I tried the Play Store version, the F-Droid version, and the desktop version. Support told me that login method had been around for a while, and I didn\u2019t know it. So suddenly, I was locked out and couldn\u2019t access MY ACCOUNT. I used to promote Session, but since their support response was basically a bi", "context": "former Session promoter", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Session is shutting down in 90 days"}, {"id": 748651488, "item_id": 46790718, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46790718", "by": "itake", "date": "2026-01-27", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Session is a low-privacy fork of Signal.", "excerpt": "Session is a low-privacy fork of Signal. source: https://soatok.blog/2025/01/14/dont-use-session-signal-fork/ hn discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42707409", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kash Patel says FBI is investigating Signal chats of Minnesotans tracking ICE"}, {"id": 748647089, "item_id": 46790443, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46790443", "by": "lynndotpy", "date": "2026-01-27", "stance": "warn", "quote": "it's silly to compare Session to Signal when Session is flawed in its cryptography", "excerpt": "This changed about two years ago, when they added usernames. ( https://signal.org/blog/phone-number-privacy-usernames/ ) Signal can still tell law enforcement (1) whether a phone number is registered with Signal, and (2) when that phone number signed up and (3) when it was last active. That's all, and not very concerning to me. To prevent an enumeration attack (e.g. an attacker who adds every phone number to their sy", "context": "", "use_case": "encrypted messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kash Patel says FBI is investigating Signal chats of Minnesotans tracking ICE"}, {"id": 743871376, "item_id": 46491961, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46491961", "by": "Imustaskforhelp", "date": "2026-01-04", "stance": "compare", "quote": "session was the more ergonomic one to build on", "excerpt": "One could probably use matrix (perhaps might need account creation?) or session or simplex (their accounts are sort of like addresses, easy to make compartively to matrix) I have built dead simple bots on both session/simplex trying both of them out and session was the more ergonomic one to build on but simplex is more decentralized considering session's more crypto related and wants to ask you for money for node whe", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": null}, {"id": 741257427, "item_id": 46328589, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46328589", "by": "Imustaskforhelp", "date": "2025-12-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "some options i can recommend are matrix,simplex,session etc.", "excerpt": "Although I enjoy the public key/private key ideas, If you wish to talk encrypted, one of the best ways to do such could be having signal if you don't mind centralization But if you want decentralization some options i can recommend are matrix,simplex,session etc. But to be honest, there is a good point that you raise about how to talk decentralized on bluesky well, one of the ideas that I can think of right now, is t", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "I have to give Fortnite my passport to use Bluesky"}, {"id": 737441760, "item_id": 46090110, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46090110", "by": "RunSet", "date": "2025-11-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "", "excerpt": "And you can use your Session ID to post or reply to posts at https://www.LokiList.com (best viewed with javascript disabled) for anonymous casual encounters.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 737363536, "item_id": 46085221, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46085221", "by": "wakawaka28", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Another vote for Session, I guess.", "excerpt": "Damn, what a shame... Another vote for Session, I guess. Idk what flaws that one has but it seems to be the leading alternative to Signal.", "context": "", "use_case": "Private messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 734703746, "item_id": 45918984, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45918984", "by": "Jigsy", "date": "2025-11-13", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "", "excerpt": "There's SOGS, which is also GPL-3.0. https://github.com/NightSommelier/session-sogs You can just make a group within the client, though.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "UK Crime Agency Backs \"Upload Prevention\" Plan to Scan Encrypted Messages"}, {"id": 734684624, "item_id": 45917789, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45917789", "by": "Jigsy", "date": "2025-11-13", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "Tor-like routing of messages quite interesting", "excerpt": "I find https://getsession.org/ and it's Tor-like routing of messages quite interesting.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "UK Crime Agency Backs \"Upload Prevention\" Plan to Scan Encrypted Messages"}]}