Frozen Chat vs Telegram

Telegram is often described as a “secure messenger”, and it does many things well: huge groups, channels, bots, fast sync across devices and a polished app on every platform. But it is important to know how its encryption works, because it is not what many people assume.

By default, Telegram chats are cloud chats. They are encrypted between your device and Telegram's servers, and stored on those servers, where Telegram holds the keys. End-to-end encryption exists only in Secret Chats: one-to-one, opt-in, and tied to a single device. Groups and channels are never end-to-end encrypted. Frozen Chat encrypts every chat, group and call end to end, with no setting to forget.

Default encryption is the whole story

Security that you have to switch on for each conversation is security most conversations won't get. On Telegram, unless you start a Secret Chat, the server can technically access your messages, and group chats have no end-to-end option at all. That design is what makes Telegram's cloud features possible, but it means you are trusting Telegram's servers with your content.

In Frozen Chat there are no “cloud chats”. Every message is encrypted on your phone with the Signal protocol before it leaves, groups use MLS, and the server only ever holds sealed envelopes it can't open, deleted when delivered or after 30 days at most. See encrypted messenger for the details, or our plain-language guide what is end-to-end encryption?

Home-grown vs standard cryptography

Telegram uses MTProto 2.0, a protocol it designed itself. Frozen Chat invents no cryptography of its own: one-to-one chats use libsignal, groups use MLS (an IETF standard, RFC 9420), and group calls use SFrame. These are published designs that many researchers have examined. Frozen Chat also adds post-quantum keys (PQXDH, and a hybrid X25519 + ML-KEM-768 suite for groups).

Phone numbers and data requests

Telegram requires a phone number to sign up, though you can hide it and use a username. In 2024 Telegram updated its privacy policy to say it may share users' IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities in response to valid legal requests. Frozen Chat has no phone number or e-mail on file and keeps no IP logs, so there is very little to hand over. What we can and can't provide is spelled out on our law enforcement page.

Where Telegram is the better choice

• Broadcasting to large audiences with channels, or running groups of tens of thousands.
• Bots and integrations. Telegram's bot platform is extensive.
• Instant cloud history on every device, including desktop apps, without managing keys.
• It's free, and its client apps' source code is public.

Where Frozen Chat is the better choice

• You want everything end-to-end encrypted, including groups, without remembering to switch it on.
• You don't want your conversations stored readable on a server.
• You want standard, widely studied cryptography with post-quantum keys.
• You don't want a phone number attached to your account.

Frozen Chat is not trying to be a broadcast platform. It is a private messenger for people and teams you actually talk to, with themes to make it yours.