Privatext alternative
A Privatext alternative your contact can open today
Privatext gave every text its own timer, from 30 seconds to 24 hours. That only works when both of you can install it, and its App Store page now returns not found. A FadeChats room opens from a link in any browser.
Create a private room
Create a private roomWhat a missing store page changes
Privatext was covered in 2013 as a private texting app for iPhone, built around one idea: the sender gives each text its own lifespan, anywhere from 30 seconds to 24 hours. Its site, privatext.co, still lists the rest: a lock so only you can open the app, and a Clear button that deletes a whole conversation from your phone, your contact's phone and Privatext's servers.
As of November 2026 that site is online, with a 2021 copyright line, but its App Store button leads to a not-found page and it offers no Google Play link. An app that is already installed can keep running for a while. What breaks first is the other end: a contact with a new phone has nothing to install.
If Privatext is still on your phone
- Clear the threads that matter before the next update
An app with no store page ships no fixes, so any iOS update could be the one that stops it opening. By Privatext's own description, the Clear button is what reaches your contact's phone and its servers, and that needs the app running on both ends. Use it while it still opens, not after.
- Don't plan on a restore
Moving to a new iPhone pulls apps back from the App Store. With Privatext's listing gone, assume the app will not come across, and that the old phone keeps whatever threads and locked history are still on it.
- Ask how your contact will reply
If the other person already switched phones, they cannot install Privatext to answer you. A FadeChats invite link opens in whatever browser they have, admits one person, and the room keeps nothing once it closes.
Which tool fits what you used Privatext for
| If you need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Texts that erase themselves on a timer | Signal | Its disappearing-message timer is set per chat rather than per text, but the app is maintained and encrypted end to end |
| A locked app for the same people every day | Signal | It has a screen lock and keeps your contacts. FadeChats has neither: each conversation starts from a new link |
| One conversation with someone who never had Privatext | FadeChats | They open the invite link in their browser. No app, account or phone number on either side |
| No copy on any server, not even for 24 hours | FadeChats | Messages go browser to browser over WebRTC and are never stored |
| Three or more people in one chat | Signal | A FadeChats room holds exactly two |
Two Privatext controls FadeChats does not have
There is no per-message timer: everything you send lives until the room closes, after about 10 minutes without activity, so a 30-second text has no equivalent here. There is no lock either: anyone holding your unlocked phone while the tab is open can read the room. Close it and nothing is left on either phone or any server to open later. And like every chat, it cannot stop a screenshot.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find Privatext in the App Store?
When we checked in November 2026, the App Store link on privatext.co returned a not-found page in the US store, and the site lists no Google Play version. The website itself is still up.
Does Privatext's Clear button still delete messages from the other phone?
We could not test it, because we could not install the app. By Privatext's description, clearing a conversation reaches your contact's phone and Privatext's servers, so it depends on the app on their phone and those servers both still working.
Can I set a timer on a FadeChats message?
No. Messages last as long as the room, which closes after about 10 minutes without activity. They are never written to a server, so there is nothing left to delete when it closes.
Does the other person need an app or a phone number?
No. They open the one-time invite link in a phone or computer browser. Neither of you creates an account.
Is FadeChats encrypted?
Yes, in transit: WebRTC encrypts the DataChannel between the two browsers, and messages are not stored anywhere. Privatext's site describes its messages as encoded but does not say what encryption it uses. If you need audited end-to-end encryption with contacts and history, use Signal.