Signal vs Matrix

Signal uses an advanced end to end encryption protocol that provides privacy for every message every time.

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.

Signal Desktop can be used on multiple devices and has most features of the Android version, although it still requires you to register with your phone.

Signal supports: emoji, pictures, videos, audio, contacts, any location and GIF.

Allows you to "send: messages to yourself and sync to desktop so you can use Signal as a kind of encrypted Pushbullet alternative

You can easily view all media shared in the chat without scrolling back to when it was shared.

The sender credentials can be encrypted with the rest of the message, leaving only the recipient address readable by the Signal server. Even if Signal wanted they couldn't see who is talking with who by this mean.

Unlike most messenger apps, Signal works reliably in all countries by securely circumventing internet censorship.

Edward Snowden uses this messenger and recommends it to everyone who is concerned about his privacy.

Matrix is an open standard, defining simple HTTP APIs so that devs can easily write their own clients, bots, bridges or servers. You're not locked into a specific set of implementations.

Matrix has bridges to IRC (freenode, moznet, oftc, snoonet etc), Slack, Gitter, Rocket.Chat, XMPP, SMS, SIP and others. The point is to 'matrix' all the different networks out there into one single decentralised network.

Riot.im is the easiest way to use Matrix, with great clients for Web, iOS and Android (and Fdroid).

Matrix is decentralized, there's no one central point that the information goes through and so no once central point of failure or control.

Matrix aims to "provide an analogous ecosystem to email - one where you can communicate with pretty much anyone, without caring what app or server they are using" using a neutral identity system.

Matrix is designed to support Instant Messaging, VoIP/WebRTC signalling (voice and video) and Internet of Things communication.

Riot.im includes an app store with integrations for Github, JIRA, Jenkins, Giphy etc - and anyone can add more via Matrix.

Which can be found here.

Matrix is designed to support Instant Messaging, VoIP/WebRTC signalling and Internet of Things communication and allows cross-communication between those services. Meaning one person could be using IRC and another Slack for IMs, or one person could be using Skype and another Google Hangouts for videoconferencing.

Matrix features end-to-end encrypted chats which are syncronized accross all your devices.

E2E is implemented in the matrix-js-sdk library and Riot.im client.