Session messenger
Private messenger with no phone number, onion-routed messages and a node network paid in the SESH token.
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Session key facts
| Category | Web3 messaging |
|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Token | SESH |
| Open source | Yes, public repositories on GitHub |
| Company | Session Technology Foundation (Switzerland) |
| US availability | Yes, listed in the US App Store |
| Pricing | Free; Session Pro from $2.99 per month |
| Security audits | Quarkslab audit of the desktop, Android and iOS clients |
| Fees | Free to use; no Session Token needed; optional Session Pro from $2.99/month |
What is Session?
Session is an end-to-end encrypted messenger that needs no phone number or email and sends messages over onion-routed paths through community-run nodes. Nodes stake the SESH token and earn rewards. It is stewarded by the Session Technology Foundation, a Swiss foundation, and its code is open source.
How Session works
When you send a message, Session wraps it in several layers of encryption and passes it through onion requests, so no single node sees both where it came from and where it is going.
The message lands in the recipient's swarm, a group of 5 to 7 Session Nodes that holds messages for a range of Account IDs until a time-to-live runs out. The FAQ counts over 1,500 community-run nodes, and nodes stake the SESH token to join and earn rewards for storing and relaying data.
Encryption uses the Session Protocol, built on the open-source libsodium library. Groups are end-to-end encrypted and hold up to 100 people, while communities are larger and, per the FAQ, less private. Voice and video calls are an opt-in beta: they run peer-to-peer over WebRTC, only between contacts, and there are no group calls yet. Attachments are capped at 10MB and travel encrypted through the Session File Server.
How to start with Session
- Download Session for Android or iOS, or for Mac, Windows or Linux from getsession.org/download; an F-Droid repo is also available.
- Sign-up creates an Account ID with no phone number.
- You get a recovery password, a mnemonic seed, which is the only way to restore the account on a new device.
- On a phone you choose between slow mode, where the app polls its swarm in the background, and fast mode, which uses Apple or Google push servers.
- Calls stay off until you enable Voice and video calls under Privacy settings.
Session fees and limits
- Session Pro starts at $2.99 per month and adds messages up to 10,000 characters, unlimited pinned chats, animated display pictures and a badge.
Session is free for messaging, groups and 10MB attachments. The Pro page lists larger attachments, bigger groups, message editing and multiple identities as coming later. Pro revenue funds development, according to the same page.
Risks to know before using Session
- The FAQ states that Session does not have perfect forward secrecy today and plans to bring it back in Session Protocol V2.
- Calls reveal your IP address to the other person and to a foundation-run STUN/TURN server.
- Fast-mode notifications expose your device IP and push token to Apple or Google.
- There is no central account backup: if you lose the recovery password, the Account ID is gone.
- A restore only pulls messages from the last 14 days, and contacts can be lost if no device has been online for 30 days.
Session alternatives
Other projects people compare with Session.
Group chat app and open protocol on Base with paid memberships, tips and encrypted messages.
Open messaging protocol for encrypted chats between wallets, apps and agents, used by Base App, World App and Convos.
Messaging app from XMTP Labs for encrypted chats with people and AI agents on the XMTP network.
Wallet-to-wallet notifications and chat protocol, formerly EPNS, whose team now builds Push Chain.
Where Session ranks on DappAtlas
Listed next to Session
- Status Crypto wallet
Session pros and cons
- No phone number or email required
- Messages routed through onion paths across community nodes
- Apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux
- Perfect forward secrecy is missing until Session Protocol V2, per its FAQ
- Home page carries a funding appeal for continued development
- Some features sit behind paid Session Pro
Session FAQ
What is Session?
Session is an end-to-end encrypted messenger that needs no phone number or email and sends messages over onion-routed paths through community-run nodes. Nodes stake the SESH token and earn rewards. It is stewarded by the Session Technology Foundation, a Swiss foundation, and its code is open source.
How much does Session cost?
Free to use; no Session Token needed; optional Session Pro from $2.99/month, according to Session’s own page (checked Oct 1, 2026).
Is Session available in the US?
Yes, listed in the US App Store, according to Session’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026).
Sources
How this page works
Sources: Session: official site, Session Token: Home page, Session Foundation: GitHub organization. Data as of Oct 1, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.