When comparing Signal vs Mirage, the Slant community recommends Signal for most people. In the question“What are the best messaging apps for Android?” Signal is ranked 1st while Mirage is ranked 39th. 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 Includes filters
It's possible to change the look of images and videos via filters.
Pro Groups
It's possible to send messages to multiple people at once. Either by setting up a group or by selecting a bunch of people individually. Groups can also be muted if they get too noisy.
Pro Messages self-destruct after they've been viewed
Once a message has been viewed, it gets deleted from Snapchat's servers. Thus, unless a person chooses to save the message manually (a notification will be sent if a user decides to take a screenshot), there will be no trace of it left. It enables a bit more consequence-free, in-the-moment kind of communication to occur.
Pro Generates a contact list
Once the account setup process is complete, Mirage generates a list of people from your contacts that you are most likely interested in sending messages via Mirage.
Pro Interface designed for getting things done quickly
Tap a contact to take a picture, tap and hold a contact to record video. Tapping the screen will allow you to add text to photos and videos just taken. Swiping the screen changes what camera is used. Swiping from the side allows sending text and voice messages. Voice messages are recorded the same way videos are by tapping and holding on a contact just from a different view.
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 Buggy
Messages get lost users have trouble getting their codes to log in and has trouble actually finding the users contacts.