Imagine sending a confidential business proposal or sharing sensitive team information and ending up discovering it’s been intercepted by cybercriminals!
This scenario is not only a nightmare but also a real threat. It is where secure messaging apps like Wickr can be the savior.
Wickr was founded by entrepreneur Nico Sell in 2012 and acquired by Amazon in 2021. While this app prioritized security and privacy, it was used by many industry experts and enterprise owners.
However, Wickr has been shut down lately! So, you might want to consider other options.
This article will walk you through top Wickr alternatives to help you streamline communication in your team and customer service operations. So, let’s get started!
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Key Considerations When Choosing Wickr Alternatives
No matter whatever messaging app you choose, ensure it meets all your workplace’s requirements while enhancing security and privacy. Here are some elements your messaging app must include:
1. End-to-end encryption
Keep your communication secure with end-to-end encryption. This feature won’t allow any third party, including Google, to read any of the messages.
2. Self-hosting options
Run the chat SDK on your own or any other server you prefer. It means you do not need to deploy the messaging SDK on the providers’ server infrastructure and get complete ownership of the chat data.
3. Compliance with data privacy regulations
Before choosing a messaging app like Wickr, ensure that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized parties. This will prevent malicious data use.
4. Integration capabilities
Integrating your messaging app with other business applications improves workflows, enhances real-time collaboration among departments, and boosts customer engagement.
5. User experience and adoption
Remember, first impressions matter. The messaging app you choose should have a clean, intuitive interface that reduces friction and ensures a positive user experience.
Top Wickr Alternatives for Enterprise Communication
Here is the list of some of the best Wickr alternatives that prioritize security with robust end-to-end encryption–
1. Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is an open-source messaging platform trusted by more than 12 million users in 150+ countries. It enables automated and agent-assisted interactions with customers over their preferred channels, such as WhatsApp, live chat, and SMS.
This platform allows screen sharing, making it an ideal platform for remote presentations and troubleshooting.
Features:
- Seamless communication: Offers real-time chat, video conferencing, and file sharing between teams and customers
- Open source: Built by over 1000 developers worldwide who are consistently driving this platform’s efficiency to enable your team to develop additional features without restrictions.
- Integration capabilities: Integrates well with tools like Jira, GitHub, Trello, and many more to improve team collaboration and productivity
- Data privacy: Provides data protection by setting up chat workspaces to send anonymous and non-personal usage tracking data to this platform automatically
Deployment options:
One size does not fit all—Rocket.Chat understands this very well. Having said, this messaging platform offers different deployment options to suit your needs-
Security and compliance:
- End-to-end encryption
- Two-factor authentication
- SOC 2 compliant
Pricing:
- Free: Forever
- Pro: $4/user/month
- Enterprise: Contact the sales team for customized pricing
2. TeleGuard
TeleGuard is a practical, modern messenger with full functionality for iOS and Android. Its clean and intuitive interface makest easy for users of all tech levels to send messages, make calls, and share files.
Key features:
- Allows users to make inexpensive calls to mobile and landline networks via IP telephony
- Enables you to set customizable alerts
- Offers multi-factor authentication
Security and compliance:
- Swiss data protection law and GDPR compliant
- End-to-End encryption
- Real-time threat detection
Deployment options:
Offers various deployment options, such as-
- Cloud-based
- On-premises
- Hybrid solutions
Pricing:
- Basic: CHF 7,10
- Enterprise: CHF 21,50
- Pro: CHF 14,30
3. Element (Matrix)
Element is a super-secure, decentralized messaging platform by Matrix. It offers open-source and flexible hosting to enable data sovereignty and collaboration in real-time.
Features:
- Drag-and-drop file uploads for effortless sharing
- Offers direct messaging for private conversations
- Provides screen sharing option for interactive presentations
Security and compliance:
- End-to-end encrypted
- No data mining, third-party access, or eavesdropping
- Data loss prevention in an encrypted environment
- Compliance with industry standards like GDPR and HIPAA
Deployment options:
Here are the deployment options it offers-
- Self-hosted
- Cloud-based
- On-premise
Pricing:
- Free: Forever
- Business: €5 per user/month
- Enterprise: €10 per user/month
- Sovereign: Contact the sales team for customized pricing
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4. Threema.Work
Threema.Work is one of the best Wickr alternatives that makes sending a secure message as simple as tapping a button.
One of its tools, Threema Broadcast, enables you to reach your entire staff, specific departments, and external recipients with just a single click.
Features:
- Enables to conduct polls and receive read receipts for crucial messages
- Allows to use your own software to send, receive, and process Threema messages
- Its group messaging options let you collaborate with teams of any size
Security and compliance:
- 100% GDPR-compliant
- End-to-end encrypted
- Helps companies to comply with the EU regulations NIS2, DORA, and CER
Deployment options:
- On-premises
- SaaS
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day trial
- Essential: CHF 1.50/user/month
- Professional: CHF 3/user/month
- Advanced: CHF 2/user/month
5. Wire
Wire is another secure messaging app that allows users to connect, message, and share files with ease. It comes with a suite of conferencing essentials, such as sending files and messages, sharing your screen, and toggling between external hardware.
Features:
- Enables you to create groups, search conversations, share files, and send audio/video messages
- Offers high-quality audio and video conferencing across web browsers, desktop, and mobile devices
- Lets you manage who and how your recipients access documents
Security and compliance:
- Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) with Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) for end-to-end calling encryption
- SAML-based Single sign-on and SCIM support
- Extensive, granular administrative controls
Deployment options:
Here are two types of deployment options it offers-
- Private cloud
- Self-hosting
Pricing:
- Free: Forever
- Wire for Enterprise: €7.45/user/month
- Wire On-Premises: Contact the sales team for customized pricing
6. Mattermost
Mattermost is an enterprise communication tool that’s fully customizable and can be deployed for any department. Its collaborative workflows and integrations help you focus on mission-critical work.
Features:
- Helps you share and collaborate on images, documents, and more
- Supports real-time and async messaging with integrated voice and video
- Features multi-language code syntax highlighting
Security and compliance:
- Continual Commitment to the principles of GDPR and CCPA
- CVE Numbering Authority (CNA)
- Bug Bounty Program and Responsible Disclosure Policy
Deployment options:
Here are a few deployment options it offers-
- Deployable in air-gapped networks and BYOD environments
- Cloud-neutral
- Self-hosting
Pricing:
- Free: Forever
- Professional: $10/user/month
- Enterprise: Contact the sales team for customized pricing
7. Keybase
Keybase is one of the Wickr alternatives that is well-known for its team collaboration functionality. Its clean and easy-to-use design ensures that even those who aren’t tech-savvy can navigate it.
The best part about this platform is that it can store your group’s photos, videos, and documents with end-to-end encryption.
Features:
- Enables you to set a timer on your sensitive messages
- Allows you to connect with communities from Twitter, Reddit, and Github
- Offers cross-platform synchronization
Security and compliance:
- Public key cryptography
- End-to-end encryption
- Zero-knowledge encryption
Deployment options:
It offers two deployment options-
- Cloud-based
- On-premised
Pricing:
Contact the sales team for customized pricing
8. Symphony
Symphony is a secure and scalable collaboration platform that makes workflows and compliant communication a breeze. It is crafted to transform how teams collaborate, share information, and stay compliant in even the most regulated industries.
Features:
- Flexible, drag-and-drop workspaces allow for quick consumption of information
- Allows to customize alerts and notifications based on signals, hashtags, and cashtags
- Integrates well with Salesforce, iPushPull, DTCC, and many other platforms
Security and compliance:
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Access control mechanisms
Deployment options:
Here are the deployment options it offers-
- On-premise key ownership
- Enterprise-class admin control
Pricing:
Contact the sales team for customized pricing
Conclusion
Wickr’s shutdown is not the ending—it’s the new beginning.
The communications’ platform landscape is evolving. This opens up an opportunity to explore messaging apps with better features that meet your business needs.
If you are looking for a new messaging frontier, look no further than Rocket.Chat.
This messaging tool is designed with high standards of data protection and stands as one of the most secure team chat apps for businesses.
It also provides robust security and ownership, unparalleled customization, and scalability, and supports real-time chat.
Here are a few elements that makes this platform stand out:
- Connect and engage your employees by eliminating communication silos
- Foster customer relationships with omnichannel customer support
- Offer flexible hosting options tailored to your company’s needs
- Integrate productivity tools to add more context to the conversations
- Establish robust authentication protocols by protecting your internal and external communications
Ready to invest in your business’s communication future? Get in touch with Rocket.Chat team and make the difference.
Nikita Sikri is a content creator and marketer who simplifies complex ideas and structures words to make them easy to understand for all audiences. She is a professional writer and editor- currently running her content writing company, Aim2write, in Gurugram, India.
