Open, warm, and yours to keep
Your conversations deserve a home you actually own.
XMPP is the open messaging standard behind some of the internet's most private, federated chat networks — think email, but for instant messaging. No single company in charge, no algorithm reading along. We'll walk you to your first message, one gentle step at a time.
RFC 6120's ancestor protocol first shipped — XMPP has outlived most messaging apps built on top of it.
Independent privacy-focused public servers you can join today, from Berlin to your own spare laptop.
Companies that can shut the whole network down — there is no "the network," only many that talk to each other.
Two ways to explore
Ready to jump in, or want the "why" first?
Either path is a good one. Most people bounce between both a couple of times — that's normal.
Get started, step by step
A warm 3-stage wizard: pick a server that fits your needs, build your account ID, and find the right app for your phone or computer — with a live check to prove your chosen server is actually online.
Open the wizardUnderstand the "why" first
A visual, non-technical breakdown of what "decentralized" actually means, and how XMPP stacks up against WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram on data ownership, encryption, and who's really in control.
See the comparisonWhy people make the switch
Small habits, meaningfully different infrastructure
You choose who holds your data
Pick a small non-profit in the EU, a US-based company, or run your own server for your household. It's your call, and you can move later — nothing here locks you in.
End-to-end encryption via OMEMO
Modern clients support OMEMO encryption (XEP-0384) — your messages are unreadable to anyone but you and the person you're chatting with.
Federated like email, not walled off
Your friends can stay on a different server entirely and you'll still chat freely — no one has to leave their account behind to talk to you.
Step 1 of 3
Let's find a server that fits you
Tell us roughly where you'd like your data to live and what matters most, and we'll suggest a short, friendly list — no wrong answers here.
Curious about a different server?
Type any XMPP domain and we'll check whether it's online right now using a real connection test — the same one that powers the "Check live status" buttons above.
Step 2 of 3
Create your address
On XMPP your identity is called a JID (Jabber ID) — it looks just like an email address, and it's yours to keep no matter which app you use.
Step 3 of 3
Pick the right app for your device
Every client below supports OMEMO end-to-end encryption and is free to use. Choose your device to see our picks.
Setting up your appOpen your chosen client, look for "Add account" or "Log in", then enter the full JID you built in Step 2 (you@example.org) along with the password you set during registration. That's it — you're on the network.
You're all set to say hello
You've picked a provider, built your JID, and found an app for your device. Curious why this whole setup matters more than it might seem?
The technical "why," explained simply
One inbox for everyone, or many mailboxes you control?
Centralized apps put every account, message, and metadata record inside one company's servers. XMPP works more like email: dozens of independent providers, all speaking the same open language, so you get to pick who holds your data.
Company controls all of WhatsApp's servers, worldwide — Meta.
Independent public XMPP providers you could join today, plus unlimited self-hosted ones.
Telegram encrypts only manual "Secret Chats" — regular chats aren't end-to-end encrypted by default. Telegram API docs
XMPP.org says a network-wide user count is "almost an impossible question to answer" — that's what decentralization looks like. XMPP.org FAQ
Six dimensions, side by side
Scored on an illustrative 0–2 scale (0 = centralized/no, 1 = partial, 2 = yes/full) to make qualitative differences easy to scan — not a precise or official rating. See the breakdown table below each cell's plain-language reasoning.
Roughly, who's using what
Reported active-user figures — included for scale, not as a quality signal. A smaller network isn't a worse one.
Same goal, two very different shapes
Every account on a centralized app connects to the same company's servers. On XMPP, your account lives on the server you chose — and it can still reach everyone else's, no matter where theirs lives.
Centralized (WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram)
Every one of these circles is a person. All roads lead to one company's servers — if it goes down, changes its rules, or is asked to hand over data, everyone is affected at once.
Federated (XMPP)
Larger circles are independent servers (yours could be one). Smaller ones are people connected to whichever server they chose. Servers talk to each other directly — no single HQ required.
The full breakdown, in plain language
| Dimension | XMPP | Signal | Telegram |
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Curious how it actually works under the hood?
A few of the open standards (XEPs) that make federated, encrypted chat possible — click to expand.
Ready when you are