Signal
Free Our pickMessages, voice and video calls, groups — encrypted, free, and the one private app your family might already have.
Calls & messaging: replace Google Meet / Messages
9 private options, our pick first. Every download link goes straight to the source — F-Droid, the developer's GitHub releases (one tap into Obtainium), the Play listing you can install anonymously through Aurora Store, or the official site. None of these are affiliate links. Updated October 2026.
These Google Messages alternatives cover texting, group chats and video calls on Android without Google handling your conversations. Signal is the main pick because your family can install it today. Molly, SimpleX Chat, Threema and Session suit stricter needs, and Jitsi Meet stands in for Google Meet links.
The trade-off is the network effect: a private messenger only helps when the people you talk to use it too. Plain SMS still needs its own app. In 2026 the realistic goal is to replace Messages for your closest contacts first, not everyone at once.
Jitsi Meet
FreeVideo meetings from a link; guests join without an account, the host signs in on meet.jit.si (or self-host it). The Meet replacement for work calls.
Element (Matrix)
Free tierDecentralized team chat; the self-host answer to Slack and Meet in one.
Molly
FreeHardened Signal fork — same network and contacts, plus a locked database and a FOSS build without Google services.
SimpleX Chat
FreeMessaging with no phone number and no user IDs at all. The most private design here, smaller network.
Threema
PaidSwiss, one-time purchase, no phone number required. Popular with businesses in Europe.
Element X
FreeThe new, much faster Matrix client from Element — where Element is heading.
Briar
FreeMessages over Tor, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, even with no internet. Built for activists and outages.
Session
FreeNo phone number, onion-routed messages. A good fit if anonymity matters more than features.
How to switch from Google Meet / Messages
- Install Signal or Molly and register with your phone number. In Signal's settings you can also set a username, so new contacts can reach you without seeing your number.
- Pick a default SMS app for people who don't use Signal. Signal dropped SMS support on Android in 2023, so texts and MMS need a separate app, such as the one built into your phone.
- Move one group at a time. Start a Signal group for the family or friends you message most, and say plainly that this is where you'll answer from now on.
- Replace Meet links for work and hobby calls with Jitsi Meet. Guests join from a link in the app or a web browser without creating an account.
- Turn on Signal's backups in its settings so a lost or replaced phone doesn't mean lost chats. Write down the recovery passphrase and keep it somewhere safe.
Calls & messaging questions
Can I still text people who don't use Signal?
Yes, by regular SMS and MMS through a separate messaging app. Signal removed SMS support on Android in 2023, so it only handles chats with other Signal users. RCS chat features usually depend on Google's services, so on a degoogled phone expect plain SMS and MMS with contacts who stay on other apps.
Does Signal work without Google Play Services?
Yes. Signal's official APK from its website and the Molly fork both work without Google services. Without Google's push system, the app keeps its own connection open for notifications, which can use a little more battery. Molly also offers a build with no Google code at all, plus a locked, encrypted database.
Do I need an account for Jitsi Meet?
Guests don't: they join from a link. On the public meet.jit.si server, the person who starts a meeting has had to sign in since 2023, a change Jitsi made to fight abuse. Self-hosting Jitsi, or using a community-run server, avoids that step. Signal group video calls are another option for family calls.