As we\u2019re about to see, the team behind Threema invested a lot in making their app as safe as possible but, in the process, they might have sacrificed a little too much in the usability field.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s learn more about Threema messenger and its features.<\/p>\n
What Is Threema?<\/b><\/h2>\n
The very name \u201cThreema\u201d signifies security. The acronym \u201cEEEMA\u201d stands for \u201cend-to-end encrypted messaging applications\u201d so the name of the app is a combination of this acronym and the \u201cthree E\u2019s\u201d (end-to-end encryption).<\/p>\n
Indeed, Threema takes safety seriously. The app has seen major growth during the Snowden leaks<\/a>, acquiring hundreds of thousands of users. Similarly, when Whatsapp was acquired by Facebook in 2014, Threema doubled its user base in a single day<\/a>. Most of these users came from Germany\u2014a country that is one of Threema\u2019s best markets to this day.<\/p>\n In the second week of 2021, Threema again saw a surge, thanks to Whatsapp\u2019s clumsy rolling-out of a new privacy policy.<\/p>\n Today, the app counts around\u00a012 million users<\/a>, which is significantly fewer than Telegram (<\/span>700 million<\/span>) or even <\/span>Signal<\/span><\/a> (around 40 million).<\/span><\/p>\n Both Threema\u2019s headquarters and development are based in Switzerland.<\/p>\n Right during the installation process, you can see that Threema puts safety first. It\u2019s one of the rare instant messenger apps that doesn\u2019t need your phone number, email, or any other personal information. Practically<\/span>, Threema is one of the few messengers that allows for almost complete anonymity.<\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, this comes at a price: Threema can\u2019t be downloaded from the Google Play Store\/App Store for free, it costs $2.99. While this certainly isn\u2019t a big deal, it can\u2019t be a drag if you don\u2019t have your credit card connected to your Store yet or if you live in a country where the App Store isn\u2019t available.<\/p>\n In any case, it\u2019s an obstacle that separates Threema from apps like Signal, Whatsapp, Telegram, and other free instant messengers<\/a>.<\/p>\n So, if it doesn\u2019t use your number or email, how do you create a Threema account?<\/p>\n When you first launch the app, you\u2019ll be required to create a Threema ID which is independent of any of your private data. This also generates a unique asymmetric key pair (a private and a public key) used to encrypt and decrypt all of your messages.<\/p>\n Your private key will be stored on your phone the whole time and even Threema won\u2019t have access to it. A copy of your public key, however, is stored on Threema servers. This<\/span> is required so that the people communicating with you can use this key to encrypt messages they send to you.<\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, this level of privacy comes at a price. Threema can’t be downloaded for free. It costs $5.99 on the Google Play Store. On the App Store, you can purchase it for $4.99. While this certainly isn\u2019t a big deal, it can\u2019t be a drag if you don\u2019t have your credit card connected to your Store yet or if you live in a country where the App Store isn\u2019t available.<\/span><\/p>\n In any case, it\u2019s an obstacle that separates Threema from apps like Signal, Whatsapp, Telegram, and other free instant messengers<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you launch the app, you\u2019ll see that your main screen is comprised of your active conversations. Like on Whatsapp (and many other messengers), you can start a conversation at any time by tapping on the \u201cStart chat\u201d<\/span> icon in the bottom right corner. Threema won\u2019t sync your contacts by default so you\u2019ll need to turn this option on if you want to communicate with the people in your contacts that have the app installed.<\/span><\/p>\n To message someone, you\u2019ll need to know their Threema ID or you can scan their number in person.<\/p>\n There aren\u2019t too many options to choose from when it comes to changing your theme or customizing the experience, so we can consider that a slight knock against Threema\u2019s user experience.<\/p>\n [highlight_block title=”Check out some other apps that facilitate group communication!” link1=”https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/group-chatting\/” link2=”https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/communication-platform\/” link3=”https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/encrypted-messaging-apps\/” ]<\/p>\n Threema has a lot of safety features and the very structure of the app is set up in a way to facilitate data security.<\/p>\n As mentioned, Threema doesn\u2019t use any of your data, it\u2019s completely anonymous. You can add your phone number, email, and sync your contacts but none of these actions are required.<\/p>\n More importantly, Threema stores very little information on their servers. One of their main principles is metadata restraint. In other words, if the app doesn\u2019t store your data, no data can be misused. Threema, therefore, doesn\u2019t store your messages, contact lists, or anything of the sort. Even if you choose to sync your contacts, the data is immediately deleted from the server as soon as synchronization is completed.<\/p>\n Threema also offers end-to-end encryption for all sorts of communication: text messages, group conversations, voice calls, files, and more. And, if all of this isn\u2019t enough, the app\u2019s source code is open for public inspection from the IT community, further contributing to the potential discovery of flaws and inefficient protocols.<\/p>\n So, we can safely say that the Threema app is among the most secure instant messengers when it comes to data preservation.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for features like screen sharing, secure file transfer<\/a>, or some sort of basic project management, you\u2019ll find that Threema falls short. Unlike some team chat apps<\/a>, Threema\u2019s options are limited.<\/p>\n That isn\u2019t to say that the app is completely devoid of any advanced communication options. For example, it has:<\/p>\n Another big limitation for Threema is the fact that it only allows sharing files that are up to 100 <\/span>MB. While this won\u2019t be a problem for images taken with your phone, you\u2019ll find that hi-res videos, Powerpoint presentations, or even some hi-res images will break this limit.<\/span><\/p>\n That can be an issue for professional communication where you often have to deal with larger files.<\/p>\n [highlight_block title=”If you\u2019re interested in messengers that offer more advanced features, check out our article:” link1=”https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/instant-messaging-apps\/” link2=”” link3=”” ]<\/p>\n The first of those is Threema Work<\/b>. This<\/span> collaboration tool<\/span><\/a> lets employees communicate with each other in a safe and organized manner. Admins can use the \u201cmanagement cockpit\u201d that allows them to define how their employees get to use the app. With this product, Threema aims to limit the chances of your company data leaking out of the organization, keeping information safe and under control. <\/span>Threema Work is paid but offers a 30-day free trial period.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to Threema Work, there are a few more products you can consider:<\/p>\n With Brosix, we devoted our entire product to putting these two things together: better team communication<\/a> supported by more safety.<\/p>\n In any enterprise, data security is among the primary concerns. As a secure messaging app<\/span>, Brosix makes this easier to manage through the <\/span>Web Control Panel<\/span><\/a>\u2014a unique interface that affords you admin access to all the settings needed to keep everything safe.<\/span><\/p>\n You can adjust user privileges, track user activity<\/a>, control features, and more.<\/p>\n More importantly, Brosix<\/a> empowers your whole team to collaborate more efficiently.<\/p>\n With unlimited chat histories and an unlimited size file transfer<\/a>, you can make sure that your team has all it needs to work on a project together and never miss a step. Additional options like screen sharing<\/a> with remote control and the Whiteboard<\/a> feature will take each presentation to the next level and give your team members better ways to share ideas.<\/p>\n In the secure instant messaging<\/a> field, Threema has possibly gone the furthest in making sure that your data is safe and uncompromisable. The fact that it doesn\u2019t require any of your personal information combined with their metadata restraint policy makes for a pretty safe messaging experience.<\/p>\n However, that isn\u2019t to say that Threema is a perfect messaging app. Especially when it comes to team communication<\/a> on an enterprise level, Threema has room for improvement.<\/p>\n If you find that Threema doesn\u2019t have what you\u2019re looking for in this area, consider Brosix. It provides the same level of safety by giving you control over your data while also equipping you with some powerful team chat features.<\/p>\n [highlight_block title=”Try Brosix free and see what features you can have at your disposal!” link1=”https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/request-demo\/” link2=”” link3=”” ]<\/p>\n Now, here are some <\/span>frequently asked questions <\/span>that a lot of people have been researching when it comes to<\/span> Threema’s secure messaging service<\/span> and the way some of its features work.<\/span><\/p>\nThreema App Installation and Setup<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Threema](\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/installation-setup.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThreema Pricing<\/b><\/h2>\n
Threema Messenger: Key Features and Interface<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Threema](\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/key-features-interface.jpg\")
\nThreema<\/a> doesn\u2019t try to revolutionize the way that an instant messenger looks and feels\u2014which is a good thing. There\u2019s no point in trying to reinvent a system we\u2019ve been using for years and are familiar with.<\/p>\nSafety: How Secure Is Threema?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Advanced Team Communication Features<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Advanced](\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/team-communication.jpg\")
\nOne area, however, where Threema might underwhelm is advanced communication.<\/p>\n\n
Versions of Threema<\/b>: Work, Broadcast, Gateway, and Education<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Versions](\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/versions-of-threema.jpg\")
\nTo bypass the issue of Threema\u2019s lack of features, you can try some of Threema\u2019s other products that make it more competitive in this area.<\/p>\n\n
Brosix: More Safety and Features<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Brosix:](\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/brosix-5.jpg\")
\nBy now, you\u2019ve probably identified Threema\u2019s key advantage: safety. And, if you\u2019re looking for an app that makes team collaboration easier<\/a>, you\u2019ve probably noticed that this is an area in which Threema could use some improvement.<\/p>\nSafety guaranteed through admin control<\/h3>\n
Easier team communication<\/h3>\n
Threema Review Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n
Threema FAQ<\/b><\/h2>\n
Can Threema see your messages?<\/b><\/h3>\n