Moving from Signal to AChat
A free messenger with no ads and end-to-end encryption, on phones and desktop. Choose Signal if you want voice and video calls, and a nonprofit behind the app. Choose AChat if you want to open it in a browser and restore your history with a recovery key after losing your phone. Signal says restoring isn't supported without your old device.
Last checked 2026-11-07. The full comparison is on AChat and Signal.
How to move across
- Sign in to AChat and pick a username. It asks for no phone number.
- Tell the people you talk to on Signal your username, or send them your link or QR code (personal chats and contacts).
- Save your recovery key somewhere only you can reach (devices and recovery). It's what brings your history back if you lose every device.
- Keep Signal open until the people you need have moved. AChat doesn't import chats from other apps.
How they differ
| Feature | AChat | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Sign up without a phone number | Yes | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| End-to-end encryption on personal chats | Yes | Yes (their page) |
| History comes back on a new device | Partly | Partly (their page) |
AChat has no voice or video calls. Your encrypted history comes back only with another linked device or your recovery key. Lose both, and nobody can restore it, including us.
What they charge
| Plan | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Signal | Free | their page |
AChat's plans are on the pricing page.
Check it yourself: Signal website.