I use an iPhone and my fiancé uses Android. He is not very tech savvy. He does not like to text for privacy reasons. I was going to recommend we get Signal but see others in Lemmy talking about Matrix. Is that better? If so, what app is best that works on both our phones? Thanks Lemmy friends!
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We should all be using Signal, all of the time. It’s accessible to those not technically inclined, and I feel like that’s a requirement now if a personal-use technology wants to get off the ground.
Edit: this is not to detract from matrix, which seems like a great technology for privacy
One advantage of Matrix/Element over Signal is that it isn’t linked to your phone number… Much easier to use across platforms and when you change phones.
This is certainly a “pro.” However, I’ve never had an issue swapping phones with Signal. (I do lose my chat history, but I can’t remember if that’s my doing or if signal just can’t port history to a new device.)
I’m going to have to give Matrix a try. I’ve been seeing it mentioned a lot over the past week.
If you want to keep your history in Signal, you’ll need to backup your messages in a file, and restore your history on the new phone with the file (at least, it’s the easiest way I could find).
I prefer the account-based philosophy of Matrix over the phone-number one of Signal, but you mileage may vary.
Matrix (and Element, its mainly used client) is not without flaw of course, notably voice/video call works somewhat better in Signal in my experience.
Go with signal, it’s the right tool for your job. Matrix has its merits, but is less intuitive, less streamlined, and less polished then signal. For many use case these wouldn’t matter, but for you they do.
Signal is so easy, my grandparents are on it. They can’t attach a file on an email, but they can use signal.
+1 to this, signal for the normal people in your life, matrix for the techies.
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Matrix IMO is more like a discord alternative. For private messaged I would use (and I do use) Signal. Its very easy to setup too and seems like the most reliable instant messenger.
Just stick to signal, matrix can be used the same way but it’s a lot more complicated and requires involvement in keeping your backup key safe, otherwise you’ll lose every encrypted message! Signal is similar to whatsapp. (which is obviously…a popular app…which should already explain the simplicity of setting it up.)
Signal is great for one on one conversations or small groups. Matrix is better served for communities as federation offers censorship resitance, but they collect some metadata that Signal doesn’t. They do have encrypted DMs, but it’s less user friendly than Signal and if your partner is not tech savvy, I would go with Signal.
Signal has 2 points of concern:
- Phone number requirement
- Centralized server (one point of failure)
I use both for different groups of people. E.g. My Matrix account is publically listed on my Lemmy account, but my Signal one is only given to people I trust to some level.
If you want to turn a normie off secure messaging for life, give him matrix. The UX is completely horrid.
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I ditched signal after they reversed course and dropped support for SMS in the app for bullshit reasons. Who knows what other brain dead move they will try to pull next?
Why would you want SMS? It’s unencrypted and goes against the whole point of signal. I use QKSMS for SMS and it’s great at SMS.
Likely for the sake of only needing a single app. Both SMS and Signal messages (as well as similar apps) all use your phone number for receiving messages so why not view all of them in a single app? SMS apps are nearly always lightweight so storage isn’t really an issue but for some, having one less icon on the app drawer is a plus.
Get Signal.
I have both and the synchronising of matrix keeps ages.
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