Use qTox, a free instant messaging application without advertising, to connect with friends and family.
Free
24 alternativesTox
Tox provides instant messaging for connecting with others amid corporate and government surveillance.
About Tox
Tox provides software for communicating with friends and family, including instant messages, voice calls, video calls, screen sharing, file sharing, and group chats.
The site states activity is encrypted using open-source libraries and runs on a distributed network of users without central servers. It is described as free without advertising, with file sharing without artificial limits or caps.
Key features
- Instant messages for chatting across the globe
- Encrypted voice calls
- Video calls for face-to-face conversation
- Desktop screen sharing with friends
- File trading with no artificial limits or caps
- Group chats with text, calls, video and files
Best for: People who want free text, voice, and video communication without central servers.
Good for
- Free without advertising
- Encryption using open-source libraries, as stated by the site
- Distributed network with no central servers
Tox at a glance
- Website
- tox.chat
- Category
- Privacy & Security › Encrypted Messaging
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Free
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Tox alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
This page compares instant messaging services and discusses how their approaches to user privacy differ.
Ricochet Refresh aims to update the Ricochet project for private and anonymous instant messaging, with its code available as open source.
Linphone offers real-time communication software for VoIP, video calls, and instant messaging.
Signal offers private messaging, with its site introducing a communication experience centered on privacy.
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24 alternatives
Rocket.Chat provides real-time messaging, voice, video, AI, and related collaboration tools for organizations.
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