The short answer

If you want a messenger where the company running the server cannot read your stored messages, then Signal and Markero both qualify, while Telegram mostly doesn't. The differences come down to a few specific things: whether a phone number is required, whether encryption is the default, and how much metadata is collected.

Here's the honest one-line version of each:

• Signal — excellent privacy, but tied to your phone number, and the server still sees who you talk to and when.
• Telegram — great features and reach, but end-to-end encryption is off by default and only available in optional "Secret Chats."
• Markero — zero-access end-to-end encryption by default, no email or phone number required, optional two-factor authentication, EU hosted.

Side-by-side comparison

Signal: strong defaults, phone number required

Signal is widely considered the gold standard for encrypted messaging, and for good reason. It encrypts messages end-to-end by default, uses the respected Signal Protocol, and is run by a non-profit foundation. If you want a battle-tested private messenger, Signal is a legitimate choice.

The privacy caveats with Signal are real, though:

• A phone number is mandatory. Your account is tied to your SIM number, which is typically linked to your real identity. Some argue this is a feature (it makes abuse harder); others see it as a privacy problem.
• Not zero-access. Signal's servers can't read message content, but they do see metadata — who you talk to, when, and from where. Signal's design means a subpoenaed company could hand over that metadata.
• Keys have a server component. Signal's architecture involves server-side key management, which is part of why it's not strictly zero-access.

The bottom line: Signal is excellent for privacy among messengers that require a phone number. But it stops short of zero-access, and it anchors you to your real-world identity.

Telegram: convenient, but E2EE is optional

Telegram is one of the most popular messengers in the world, and its feature set — huge groups, channels, bots, cloud sync — is genuinely impressive. But its privacy model is frequently misunderstood.

• Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted. They use "client-server encryption": the message is encrypted in transit, but Telegram's servers can read it. This is how cloud sync and multi-device history work.
• End-to-end encryption only exists in "Secret Chats." You have to enable it manually, and secret chats don't support groups, channels, or most devices. In practice, the vast majority of Telegram messages are readable by Telegram.
• Metadata is collected. Telegram stores your phone number, IP addresses, and contact relationships. In several high-profile cases, Telegram has shared IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities.

Markero: zero-access by design

Markero was built around a single principle: the server should never be able to read your messages, period. That's a stronger guarantee than "we promise not to look."

• End-to-end encryption by default. There's no plaintext mode. Every message, photo, voice note and file is encrypted with PGP (Curve25519) on your device before it's sent.
• Zero-access architecture at rest. We store only ciphertext and encrypted key material, and never hold usable decryption keys. Even under a court order or a storage compromise, there is no readable message archive.
• No email or phone number. Sign up with just a username, so your conversations can't be tied to your real-world identity.
• Keys are encrypted before upload. Your private key is encrypted on your device; the server stores only the encrypted blob and the encrypted key-wrap secret. Your password protects that secret; the separate login TOTP secret is used only to verify sign-in codes.
• Optional two-factor authentication. Strongly recommended, but not required — enable it during signup or any time from the app.
• EU hosted. The service runs on its own infrastructure in the European Union, under GDPR.

The trade-off is honest: Markero is a smaller, newer service than Signal or Telegram. It now includes one-to-one video calls and group calls for up to six people, at 480p on free accounts and 720p with Premium; calls are not available over Tor. It prioritizes one thing above all else — that your messages stay readable only by you and the people you send them to.

What actually matters for privacy

When you're choosing a private messenger, most marketing talk boils down to a handful of concrete questions. Ask these, and the picture gets clear fast:

1. Is encryption the default, or something I have to switch on? If it's opt-in, most users (and most of their messages) are not protected.
2. Does the provider hold the keys? If the company keeps a copy of your keys or can reset them, it can read your messages. Zero-access at rest means it cannot read stored messages.
3. Is a phone number or email required? This ties your account to your identity and lets the service build a map of your contacts.
4. What metadata does the provider keep? Even a great E2EE app can leak who you talk to, when, and how often — which is very sensitive.
5. Where is the server, and under whose laws? Hosting jurisdiction determines what a company can be compelled to hand over.

Run Signal, Telegram and Markero through those five questions and the differences become concrete rather than marketing-speak.

The verdict

Choose Signal if you want a proven, battle-tested messenger and you're comfortable tying it to your phone number.

Choose Telegram if you need the biggest feature set, channels and bots, and you accept that most of your messages are readable by Telegram's servers.

Choose Markero if your priority is the strongest technical guarantee — zero-access encryption, no phone number, optional 2FA, EU hosted — and you don't mind a smaller, younger service.

Frequently asked questions

Is Signal more private than Telegram?

For message content, yes — Signal encrypts chats end-to-end by default, while Telegram only does so in optional 'Secret Chats'. Telegram also requires a phone number and keeps more metadata.

Does Telegram really not have end-to-end encryption?

Telegram has end-to-end encryption, but only in 'Secret Chats' which you must enable manually and which don't support group chats or most devices. Regular chats are encrypted in transit and readable by Telegram's servers.

Which messenger does not require a phone number?

Both Signal and Telegram require a phone number to sign up. Markero is designed to require only a username — no email or phone number — so the account can't be tied to your real identity.

What is zero-access encryption?

Zero-access at rest means the service provider has no technical way to read stored messages. It stores ciphertext and encrypted key material, not usable decryption keys, so there is no readable message archive to hand over.