The best sexting apps for discreet chats in 2026

Signal is the best sexting app for most people, and it was a favorite of the experts I spoke with. This encrypted messaging app isn’t a place to find new sexting friends, but it’s a great app for discreetly chatting with people you already know and trust. (Our sister site PCMag ranked it the #1 secure messaging app.)

Suzannah Weiss, Fleshy’s resident sex therapist and sexologist, recommends Signal for users “concerned about hackers or leaks,” noting that it prevents advertisers and government agencies from listening to your messages.

One of the coolest things about this app is that its open source code is publicly available and anyone can view it, so you know they’re not reading your messages. There is no data collection, no advertising, and no affiliate marketers. “Signal stands out for its open source design, minimal metadata retention, and built-in privacy features such as disappearing messages and screen security,” says Orenstein.

However, it is worth noting that Signal has been in the news recently. In January 2026, FBI Director Kash Patel announced an investigation into Signal chats used by Minnesota residents regarding ICE movements. While Signal’s end-to-end encryption means the content of your messages remains secure (Signal can’t read them, so it can’t transmit them), this news highlights that the app is facing increased government surveillance.

You can share “stories” of images, text or video that disappear after 24 hours or set a custom timer for messages to disappear. You can also turn off the “Stories” feature, which is a huge plus. (I only deleted Snapchat because I was afraid the naughty photos I sent to my partner would accidentally end up in my Story.)

And, if you’re a faster typist than texter, there’s a desktop version available for Mac that lets you link devices so you can automatically transfer your recent chat and media history. This way, you don’t have to start your conversations from scratch. Additionally, the “Screen Security” feature, enabled by default on the Windows 11 desktop app, prevents screenshots of your chats for an added layer of security. (You can turn it off in the app’s privacy settings, if necessary.)

During the signal do require a real phone number when registering, it is not visible to anyone (unless you want it to be). You can set a unique username and adjust your privacy settings so people can’t find you by your phone number, so you can connect with new people and stay anonymous.