Add to ChromeWhen comparing Signal vs Google Photos, the Slant community recommends Google Photos for most people. In the question“What are the most useful Android phone apps?” Google Photos is ranked 16th while Signal is ranked 19th. The most important reason people chose Google Photos is:
Any images taken with your phone can automatically be backed up to Google Photos. And the first time you run the mobile app it will also help you back up any existing images and videos you might have on your phone.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Provides security and privacy
Signal uses an advanced end to end encryption protocol that provides privacy for every message every time.
Pro Free and open source
Signal is free and open source software, enabling anyone to verify its security by auditing the code. It's the only private messenger that uses open source, peer-reviewed cryptographic protocols to keep your messages safe.
Pro Supports encrypted group chats
Pro SMS/MMS support
Signal can be your default SMS/MMS text messenger. Encryption is not possible when sending SMS to your contacts, however.
Pro Supports sharing of various different media types
Signal supports: emoji, pictures, videos, audio, contacts, any location and GIF.
Pro Recommended by Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden uses this messenger and recommends it to everyone who is concerned about his privacy.
Pro You can easily view all media exchanged
You can easily view all media shared in the chat without scrolling back to when it was shared.
Pro Message mirroring on Signal Desktop
Signal Desktop is a Chrome extension that allows you to mirror messages from your phone, including replying.
Pro Note to Self feature
Allows you to "send: messages to yourself and sync to desktop so you can use Signal as a kind of encrypted Pushbullet alternative
Pro Can automatically back up phone's photos
Any images taken with your phone can automatically be backed up to Google Photos. And the first time you run the mobile app it will also help you back up any existing images and videos you might have on your phone.
Pro Can search photos
Text in photos, the content of the photo, and so on can be automatically searched. So one doesn't need to categorize to later find photos. Manual categorization is still possible.
Pro Simple sharing
Any picture or selection of pictures can be sent to anyone, even if they don't have a Google account. Photos will also give you a list of recommended photos to share.
Pro Free unlimited storage
Google Photos comes with free storage for images up to 16Mp and videos up to 1080p which means that most users need no longer worry about storage space.
Pro Can manually classify photos
Can create albums from photos or even manage the whole folders tree manually via Drive.
Pro Non-destructive built-in photo editor
Any photos that you edited can be undone to original copy.
Pro Smart shared libraries
Google Photos allows inviting other users to shared libraries. It has a feature that allows auto-adding all photos and videos or only of specific people to the shared library which is really useful for sharing with families or a close group of friends. It also allows the invitee to save those photos straight to their device automatically as if they took it.
Pro Send images and videos to Gmail and YouTube
If you linked your Google drive with google photos, then you can easily attach any of your Google Photos in an email message.
Pro Uses AI to create fun content
Google's AI automatically generates fun animations, collages, styled photos and stories every now and then which can be shared saved and shared to your device very easily.
Pro iOS app is easy and fun to use
The app is easy to use and has amusing features like reminders, where it pops up photos from many years ago.
Cons
Con Needs access to your phone number and contacts to work
Con Single device
Signal can only be registered to one mobile device at a time. But you can link Signal to Signal Desktop.
Con Servers hosted in the US
A security risk due to National Security letters, which require giving up data to the US state, and making it illegal to disclose that.
Con Unreliable notifications
Sometimes messages won't be received if the Signal app has been closed for a long time or hasn't been opened after booting the device.
Con If SMS/MMS imported, other apps can't read SMS
For those using Join, Pushbullet, or similar apps to send and receive SMS/MMS from web or desktop, putting your SMS in Signal somehow breaks this functionally. The dev is aware but plans to remedy the situation have not been named a priority
Con Uses message mirroring
Con Might be removed anytime
Google has a tendency to quickly shut down or abandon services that don't perform well. Google Photos might run the risk of being discontinued if the user base of the app doesn't meet certain criteria.
Con The web version lacks certain features available on mobile apps
Con Doesn't backup in the background
For iOS devices
Con Not a lot of free storage space for high-res content
While there's a free unlimited storage plan, it's limited to 16 megapixel images and 1080p videos. Uploading full-resolution content, if you opt out of free unlimited storage plan, is limited to 15GB that comes with a Google account which is shared across all Google services. Increasing that storage space costs about $10/mo per 1TB of storage.
Con Files may be compressed if you're using the unlimited storage option
All images exceeding 16MP and videos exceeding 1080p will automatically be compressed to that size or lower. Meaning high-res images and videos won't work with the unlimited storage option.
Con The website has performance issues
The site tends to lag and file uploads can sometimes fail.
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