Glossary
End-to-end encryption
Also called: E2EE, E2E encryption
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) secures messages so they are encrypted on the sender's device and can be decrypted only on the recipients' devices; the service carrying them cannot read the content.
Reviewed
How it works, in plain terms
- 1
Each device has its own keys
Your app creates a key pair. The public key is shared so others can encrypt messages to you; the private key never leaves your device.
- 2
Messages are locked before they leave
Your app encrypts the message so that only the recipient's device can unlock it.
- 3
The server carries scrambled data
The provider stores and forwards ciphertext it has no key for.
- 4
The recipient's device unlocks it
Decryption happens locally, on the phone or computer at the other end.
Signal and WhatsApp, for example, encrypt personal chats end to end by default. On Telegram, standard cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted; its optional Secret Chats are. So “which app” matters less than “which kind of chat.”
What E2EE does not hide
- Metadata: depending on the service, who you talk to, when and how often may still be visible to the provider.
- The devices themselves: if a phone is unlocked, stolen or infected, the messages are readable on it.
- Backups: a cloud backup of your chats may not be end-to-end encrypted unless you turn that on.
- The other person: they can screenshot, forward or show your message to anyone.
The trade-offs
Because the server cannot read content, some features get harder: server-side search, text previews in notifications, loading full history on a new device, and moderators reviewing a reported conversation (the reporter's device has to send the content). That is why many services use encryption at rest instead — much better than plain text, but the provider can still decrypt.
On Asyncbit
Asyncbit does not offer end-to-end encryption. Messages are encrypted at rest on the server, which protects stored data, but the server can decrypt messages to deliver them, and reported messages can be reviewed by moderators. Push previews stay generic (“New message”). If you need conversations the provider cannot read, use an app built on E2EE. The full comparison is in end-to-end encryption vs encryption at rest, and messaging lists what Asyncbit chats do offer.
See it for yourself
Asyncbit is free, with no paid tier and no ads. Everything described here is available from the first day.
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Where this comes up
- GuideEnd-to-end encryption vs encryption at rest: who can actually read your messagesWhat end-to-end encryption, encryption at rest and TLS each protect, who can read your messages under each, and the trade-offs that decide which an app uses.
- ComparisonAsyncbit vs WhatsAppWhatsApp is a private messenger with end-to-end encryption by default; Asyncbit is a social network with chat attached. What each does well and when to pick which.
- ComparisonAsyncbit vs TelegramTelegram is a cloud messenger with huge groups, channels and bots; Asyncbit is a social network with a feed, Q&A and calls. How they compare on privacy and scale.
- AlternativesWhatsApp alternativesSix WhatsApp alternatives compared on encryption, phone-number rules and ownership: Signal, Threema, Element, Telegram, Viber and Asyncbit, with trade-offs.