When comparing Silent Text vs ChatSecure + Orbot, the Slant community recommends ChatSecure + Orbot for most people. In the question“What are the best encrypted messaging apps for Android?” ChatSecure + Orbot is ranked 8th while Silent Text is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose ChatSecure + Orbot is:
To pass EFF's security review ChatSecure had to encrypt data in transit, the encryption had to be [end-to-end](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-to-end_encryption), the app needed to provide [forward secrecy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_secrecy), app's source code has to be open to independent review, users have to be able to verify contact's identities even with the service provider compromised, app's cryptographic design has to be well documented and app's source code has to have been audited in the last 12 months.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Encrypted message attachments
Files can be attached to messages that will also be encrypted.
Pro Passed EFF's security review
To pass EFF's security review Silent Text had to encrypt data in transit, the encryption had to be end-to-end, the app needed to provide forward secrecy, app's source code has to be open to independent review, users have to be able to verify contact's identities even with the service provider compromised, app's cryptographic design has to be well documented and app's source code has to have been audited in the last 12 months.
Pro Messages can be set to self-destruct
Messages on both senders and receivers phones can be set to delete after a set period of time.
Pro Encrypted locationsharing
It's possible to geotag messages to share location.
Pro Passed EFF's security review
To pass EFF's security review ChatSecure had to encrypt data in transit, the encryption had to be end-to-end, the app needed to provide forward secrecy, app's source code has to be open to independent review, users have to be able to verify contact's identities even with the service provider compromised, app's cryptographic design has to be well documented and app's source code has to have been audited in the last 12 months.
Pro Free and open source
ChatSecure is free and open source, enabling anyone to verify its security by auditing the code.
Pro Works with popular chat services across mobile and PC
ChatSecure works with Google Hangouts, Facebook messaging, Jabber and other popular messaging service, making for a convenient way to use secure chatting.
Cons
Con Expensive
While the app itself is free, to use it a subscription is required with prices starting at $9.95/mo.