When comparing Signal vs Insight Timer Meditation Timer, the Slant community recommends Signal for most people. In the question“What are the best Android apps?” Signal is ranked 3rd while Insight Timer Meditation Timer is ranked 27th. The most important reason people chose Signal is:
Signal uses an advanced end to end encryption protocol that provides privacy for every message every time.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion 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 Has a desktop app
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.
Pro Supports sharing of various different media types
Signal supports: emoji, pictures, videos, audio, contacts, any location and GIF.
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 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 Annonymous Sender (Encrypted)
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.
Pro Works everywhere in every country
Unlike most messenger apps, Signal works reliably in all countries by securely circumventing internet censorship.
Pro Recommended by Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden uses this messenger and recommends it to everyone who is concerned about his privacy.
Pro Good free course
Has a good free intro course.
Pro Huge range of meditations
Pro Select the opening screen
You can choose from three options as the opening screen (the first thing you see when you open the app):
- Community map
- Timer
- Meditation library
Pro Detailed metrics on your meditation activity
The application features a statistics section where you can view your past meditation activity. Metrics include amount of time spent and your overall statistics for a certain time period. It also is a good method to see how your meditation is evolving.
Pro High sound quality
The meditation bells in Insight Timer have a very high sound quality which helps to bring a person into a meditative state.
Pro Able to engage with worldwide community
Insight Timer is used by over half a million users in over 140 countries and features a world map, discussion groups and the ability to share your progress with friends.
Pro Notifications can be disabled while the timer is running
Pro Built-in journal feature
When you're finished with a meditation session, the app allows you to write notes about that session. These notes are stored in a journal and can be exported.
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 Glitchy
When using several bells, they often don't sound at the right time.
Con Too cluttered for a meditation app
Con Quickly drains battery
Insight Timer has some technical issues and the application won't close in the background in some cases. This causes your Android device to be quickly drained of its battery.
Con The marketing banner is horrible
Everytime you open the app you have a huge banner in your face trying to sell you stuff. It's the worst thing about the app.
Con Expensive in-app purchase for bell intervals
There's an in-app purchase of roughly $6 that will add an interval feature between bells, to let the user know how far they've progressed in a session.