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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

Android App

Briar

A free, open-source messenger that works peer-to-peer, even without internet.

Visit Briar4.2

  • Rating

    4.2 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Intermediate

  • Works on

    Android

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What is Briar?

Briar is a free and open-source messaging app that avoids central servers. Messages go directly between devices and are stored on the device rather than in the cloud. Contacts can connect over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or Tor, so Briar can still work when the internet is down. It supports private messaging and forums. The Briar site lists Google Play and F-Droid downloads, and notes the project is in maintenance mode.

Pros: what Briar does well

  • Free and open source
  • Can connect over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi without internet
  • Messages stay on your device, not in the cloud

Cons: where it falls short

  • The project is in maintenance mode, so new features are unlikely
  • Both people need to install it to chat

Who Briar is for

People who need a resilient, private way to message when networks are unreliable or blocked.

Who can skip it

People who want a feature-rich messenger with a large user base.

Briar alternatives

Not sold on Briar? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Communication resources

Ferdium

Focus: all-in-one, workspaces and franz alternative. Shares messaging and open source with Briar. A desktop app, not an Android app. Adds Windows, macOS and Linux. Rated 4.5 (Briar: 4.2).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit

OpenWA

Focus: whatsapp, api and self-hosted. Shares messaging and open source with Briar. A web app, not an Android app. Adds Web and Linux. Rated 4.5 (Briar: 4.2).

Web AppFreeWeb, Linux
4.5Visit

Element

Focus: matrix, self-hosted and slack alternative. Shares messaging and open source with Briar. A web app, not an Android app. Freemium (Briar: Free). Adds Web, Windows and macOS. Rated 4.3 (Briar: 4.2).

Web AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.3Visit

Jami

Focus: video calls and encrypted chat. Shares messaging and open source with Briar. A mobile app, not an Android app. Adds Windows, macOS and Linux. Rated 4.3 (Briar: 4.2).

Mobile AppFreeCross-Platform, Windows
4.3Visit

Postiz

Focus: social media, scheduling and nextjs. Shares open source with Briar. An AI tool, not an Android app. Freemium (Briar: Free). Adds Web. Rated 4.7 (Briar: 4.2).

AI ToolFree planWeb
4.7Visit

Screenity

Focus: screen recorder, loom alternative and annotation. Shares open source with Briar. A browser extension, not an Android app. Adds Chrome. Rated 4.7 (Briar: 4.2).

Browser ExtensionFreeChrome
4.7Visit

Free alternatives to Briar

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

Shields.io

Focus: badges, readme and developer tools. Shares open source with Briar. A web app, not an Android app. Adds Web. Rated 4.7 (Briar: 4.2).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.7Visit

Slidev

Focus: presentations, markdown slides and developer tool. Shares open source with Briar. A framework, not an Android app. Adds Web, macOS and Windows. Rated 4.7 (Briar: 4.2).

FrameworkFreeWeb, macOS
4.7Visit

Apprise

Focus: notifications, alerts and command line. Shares open source with Briar. An automation tool, not an Android app. Rated 4.6 (Briar: 4.2).

Automation ToolFreeCross-Platform
4.6Visit

Diagram Design

Focus: diagrams, agent skills and claude code. Shares open source with Briar. An AI tool, not an Android app. Rated 4.6 (Briar: 4.2).

AI ToolFreeCross-Platform
4.6Visit

Flameshot

Focus: screenshots, annotation and screen capture. Shares open source with Briar. A desktop app, not an Android app. Adds Linux, Windows and macOS. Rated 4.6 (Briar: 4.2).

Desktop AppFreeLinux, Windows
4.6Visit

Greenshot

Focus: screenshots, annotation and windows. Shares open source with Briar. A desktop app, not an Android app. Adds Windows and Offline. Rated 4.6 (Briar: 4.2).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, Offline
4.6Visit
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