Our verdict: Session is built for people who want to chat without tying the account to a phone number or email. It hides who talks to whom through onion routing, but calls are still a beta feature and the protocol currently lacks perfect forward secrecy.
About Session
Session is stewarded by the Session Technology Foundation, and its desktop app is open source under the GNU GPL v3. Your account is a random Account ID with a recovery password; no phone number, email or name is needed.
Messages are end-to-end encrypted and sent through a decentralised onion routing network, so no single server knows both the sender and the recipient. The Windows app works on its own and does not need a phone. Voice and video calls are an opt-in beta that uses peer-to-peer connections, which exposes your IP address to the other person.
What it does well
- Anonymous accounts. Sign up with a random Account ID instead of a phone number or email.
- Onion routing. Messages travel through several nodes so servers cannot see who talks to whom.
- Recovery password. Restore your Account ID on a new device with a word list.
- Desktop works on its own. The Windows app can create an account without a phone.
- Encrypted attachments. Files are encrypted and uploaded through onion routing.
Who it is for
Good fit
People who want a messenger account that is not linked to their phone number.
Look elsewhere
Users who need reliable group video calls or want to recover old message history easily.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No phone number or email required
- Onion routing hides metadata
- Open source and run by a foundation
- Desktop app works without a phone
Cons
- Calls are beta and reveal your IP address to the other person
- No perfect forward secrecy until the next protocol version
- Restoring an account brings back only the last 14 days of messages
How to install Session
Download the Windows installer and run it. On first launch choose Create account and store the recovery password offline, for example on paper; without it the account cannot be restored. Calls are off by default and can be enabled in settings.
Questions about Session
Is Session free?
Yes. Session is free and open source under the GNU GPL v3.
Does Session need a phone number?
No. You get a random Account ID and a recovery password instead.
Can I move Session to a new PC?
Yes. Choose I have an account and enter your recovery password. Messages from the last 14 days are restored.
