Signal, created from a merger of RedPhone and TextSecure, is the flagship app of the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to open source privacy technology.
The software powering the Signal app has been imported into WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype and Google Allo, although end-to-end encryption is not offered by default on these platforms.
It launched the Signal app for iOS, Android and desktop in 2015, which came with end-to-end encrypted messaging. Signal has since added encrypted video calls, group chats, and support for images, video, and gifs, making it a feature-rich service without sacrificing the core benefit of privacy.
- Announcement -
Guide to in-app engagement
Principles and best practices behind in-app engagement to grow your consumer business.
In response to a privacy update from WhatsApp that informed users that it would be sharing data with parent company Facebook, millions of users switched to Signal, which is considered the best in class for encrypted messaging. The large number of new users caused Signal's servers to crash on January 15, 2021, and access was restricted for two days afterward.
Even with this influx, Signal is still a pretty niche messaging platform with far less usage than its end-to-end competitor.Telegram. In these few weeks, Signal shot past in global downloads on both stores, but has slowed down in late 2021 and is at normal download levels in 2022.
Many celebrities have endorsed Signal as a messaging tool to prevent spying on governments and other bad actors. Edward Snowden and Elon Musk have both endorsed the app, and Black Lives Matter organizers also encouraged demonstrators to use the app during this summer's protests.
I 2021, Signalannouncedit would be to launch a 'privacy-focused' cryptocurrency that integrates MobileCoin into the platform. This move was criticized by some for shifting focus from privacy and security to areas that could lead to the app being targeted by authorities.
A few months after the announcement, founder and CEO Moxie Marlinspike saidconfirmedhe left the company. WhatsApp co-founder and Signal investor Brian Acton took over as CEO.
We've collected data and statistics about Signal. Read on below for more information.
Highlight important statistics
- Signal had 40 million active users in 2022, most of which came from WhatsApp's poorly received privacy update
- Signal has been downloaded 155 million times, with the majority of downloads occurring in 2021
- It generates no revenue, but received a $50 million loan from Brian Acton, who is now the company's CEO
Signal overview
| title | Title 2 |
|---|---|
| Lunch date | July 29, 2014 |
| Headquarters | Mountain View, Californië |
| People | Brian Acton (CEO, formand) Moxie Marlinspike (medstifter), Aruna Harder (COO) |
| Type of company | Non-profit |
| Owner | Signal Foundation |
| Industry | To report |
Signal revenue
Signal does not generate any revenue as it is a non-profit organization and receives donations from users and well-wishers. Brian Acton invested $50 million in the company in 2017.
Signal users
Signal had 40 million active users in 2022, when many users switched to WhatsApp from WhatsApp.
Signal year users 2019 to 2022 (mm)
| Datum | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 0,5 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 40 |
Kilder: SimilarWeb,TechCrunch
Signal downloads
Signal reached 155 million cumulative downloads in 2022, with the vast majority of downloads occurring in January 2021.
Signal cumulative downloads 2019 to 2021 (mm)
| Datum | Downloads (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 125 |
| 2022 | 155 |
Bron:AppMagic
Frequently asked questions about Signal
What was the biggest month for downloads in Signal?
In the second week of January, 7.5 million users were added to Signal, 43 times more than the previous week (CNN)
What are Signal's most popular countries?
Some of Signal's most popular countries are Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (SimilarWeb)
