Delta Chat
Open-source messenger that uses email servers for end-to-end encrypted chat.
Recommended for easy, reliable chat over email12 with end-to-end encryption you can self-host,34 plus easy bots and WebXDC apps.56 Caveats are that the encryption still requires understanding the process,7 and forward secrecy is only planned.8
Why people recommend it
Encrypted email · 2
Handles E2EE and GPG email comfortably and avoids vendor lock-in.
“Delta Chat is an email client I use and advise to my correspondents, it does GPG stuff quite comfortably.”
“If you're interested in E2EE emails that you can host yourself, I recommend looking into Delta Chat (chatmail)”
Easy and reliable · 2
Commenters say it is easy to use and works, including while traveling.
“I've been using Delta Chat with a lot of success. It is easy, it works, bots are easy”
“Signal and Delta Chat work fine.”
Apps and bots · 2
Bots are easy to build, and WebXDC apps run inside chats.
“I've been using Delta Chat with a lot of success. It is easy, it works, bots are easy”
Cross-device use · 3
Runs on several platforms and can share things between your own devices.
“I use DeltaChat just by myself to share things between devices.”
Show 1 more
“Signal and Delta Chat work fine.”
Self-hostable · 1
Can be self-hosted through chatmail.
“If you're interested in E2EE emails that you can host yourself, I recommend looking into Delta Chat (chatmail)”
Caveats and dissent
Learning curve · 1
Using the encryption still requires understanding how the process works.
“Delta Chat is an email client I use and advise to my correspondents, it does GPG stuff quite comfortably.”
No forward secrecy · 1
Forward secrecy is planned but not yet available.
“I've been using Delta Chat with a lot of success. It is easy, it works, bots are easy”
Past rough edges · 1
Older versions were weaker, and users are advised to retry it.
“I've been using Delta Chat with a lot of success. It is easy, it works, bots are easy”
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Tether: iMessage, SMS, etc. on Linux 1 mention
- I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux 1 mention
- Software for One 1 mention
- The Future of Email 1 mention
- Tuta and Proton: An Open Source Client Does Not Result in an Open Source Service 1 mention
- Verifying your Matrix devices is becoming mandatory 1 mention
Also written as DeltaChat. Data: delta-chat.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 6
“I use DeltaChat just by myself to share things between devices.”
“Signal and Delta Chat work fine.”
“Delta Chat is available on iOS, I believe.”
“Delta Chat is an email client I use and advise to my correspondents, it does GPG stuff quite comfortably.”
“If you're interested in E2EE emails that you can host yourself, I recommend looking into Delta Chat (chatmail)”
“I've been using Delta Chat with a lot of success. It is easy, it works, bots are easy”