When comparing Signal vs TeleMessage, the Slant community recommends Signal for most people. In the question“What is the best team chat software?” Signal is ranked 16th while TeleMessage is ranked 64th. 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
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 SMS/MMS support
Signal can be your default SMS/MMS text messenger. Encryption is not possible when sending SMS to your contacts, however.
Pro Recommended by Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden uses this messenger and recommends it to everyone who is concerned about his privacy.
Pro Supports encrypted group chats
Pro Supports sharing of various different media types
Signal supports: emoji, pictures, videos, audio, contacts, any location and GIF.
Pro Message mirroring on Signal Desktop
Signal Desktop is a Chrome extension that allows you to mirror messages from your phone, including replying.
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 Reliable
They've been in the messaging business for over 15 years. Not a start-up, and use carrier-grade infrastructure.
Pro APIs
They offer a bunch of APIs that you can integrate with own apps to automate messaging.
Pro Desktop and mobile software
While the solution includes an app, messages can also be sent from a computer or Outlook. It can send data messages, text messages, voice messages, etc (as long as there are enough message credits).
Pro Administrative access
An organization's mobile messaging can be managed by an administrator. That means admins can add, delete or suspend users and enforce messaging policies.
Pro It's secure
TeleMessage uses end-to-end encryption, with an additional encryption layer while data is in transit. It also offers a bunch of other security features such as PIN lock, time limited messaging and forward locking.
Cons
Con Single device
Signal can only be registered to one mobile device at a time. But you can link Signal to Signal Desktop.
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 Needs access to your phone number and contacts to work
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
You phone must be on and connected to the internet for Signal Desktop to work.