Comparison
Wickr shut down — here are the best alternatives
AWS discontinued the free Wickr Me app on December 31, 2023, leaving only enterprise-only AWS Wickr in its place. If you relied on Wickr Me for quick, disappearing conversations, here's where to go next — and what each option actually offers.
Start a disappearing chat — free, no sign-upWhat happened to Wickr Me?
Wickr Me was a free, consumer-facing encrypted messenger known for self-destructing messages and no phone number requirement. Amazon acquired Wickr in 2021, and on December 31, 2023, AWS shut the consumer app down for good — existing users lost access entirely.
AWS Wickr, the enterprise product, is still around, but it's built for organizations: it requires a business subscription, admin-managed accounts, and compliance tooling most individuals never touch. It was never meant to replace the free app for personal, one-off private chats.
That gap is why people still search for a Wickr Me replacement years later. The tools below cover different needs — from a quick anonymous exchange to a long-term encrypted contact.
5 alternatives worth knowing
- 1. FadeChats — no-install ephemeral chat for two
Open a link, get a private room instantly, share a one-time invite, talk. Nothing to install, no account, no phone number. Messages travel peer-to-peer over an encrypted WebRTC channel and are never stored on a server. Closest match to what made Wickr Me convenient — minus the app.
- 2. Signal — for people you'll message again
If Wickr Me was your default for someone you talk to regularly, Signal is the strongest replacement: open-source, end-to-end encrypted, disappearing messages built in. It does require an app install and a phone number.
- 3. Session — anonymity without a phone number
Session routes messages through a decentralized network and never asks for a phone number or email — you get a random ID instead. A good fit when identity exposure, not just message persistence, is the concern.
- 4. Element (Matrix) — self-hosted control
Built on the open Matrix protocol, Element lets technical users run their own server instead of trusting a third party. More setup than the others, but full control over where data lives.
- 5. AWS Wickr — enterprise compliance
If the requirement is genuinely a business one — regulated industries, audit trails, admin oversight — AWS Wickr still exists as a paid enterprise product. It's the direct descendant of Wickr Me, just no longer free or personal.
Side by side
| FadeChats | Signal | Session | AWS Wickr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-way conversation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No account needed | Yes | No (phone number) | Yes (random ID) | No (business account) |
| No app install | Yes | No | No | No |
| Server stores content | Never (peer-to-peer) | Until delivered | Until delivered | Per enterprise policy |
| Self-destructs | Room expires automatically | Timer per chat | Timer per chat | Admin-configured |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Paid (business) |
Feature status as of July 2026. Check each product's site for changes.
How FadeChats works
- Open FadeChats
A private room spins up the moment you land on the page. No form, no email, no password.
- Share the one-time invite link
Send it any way you like. It works exactly once and expires in minutes if nobody uses it.
- Talk, then let it fade
Messages travel directly between your two browsers. Close the tab and the conversation is gone — there was never a server copy to delete.
The honest recommendation
For someone you'll talk to again and again, install Signal. For an organization with compliance needs, AWS Wickr is built for that. For the exact thing Wickr Me used to do best — a quick, disappearing, no-identity conversation with one other person — FadeChats is the closer match, and it costs nothing.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Wickr Me?
AWS discontinued the free consumer app on December 31, 2023. The enterprise product, AWS Wickr, still operates but requires a business subscription and admin-managed accounts.
Is FadeChats end-to-end encrypted?
Messages travel peer-to-peer over WebRTC's encrypted DTLS transport directly between the two browsers — they never pass through a server in the first place, so there's no server-side copy to intercept.
Do I need a phone number?
No. FadeChats never asks for a phone number, email, or any account. A room is created and shared with a link.
Can I use it once and walk away?
Yes. That's the intended use — open a room, share the invite, have the conversation, close the tab. The room expires on its own; there's nothing to clean up.