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Comparisons

How Shoal compares.

Honest comparisons against the messengers you might already be using. We try to describe what each app does well — not just what we do differently — so you can choose the right tool for the job.

At a glance — what each app does. Click through for the honest, longer comparison.

Feature Shoal WhatsApp iMessage Signal Telegram Messenger Kids
Messages encrypted Yes Encrypted on the sending device and stored only as ciphertext; Shoal doesn't decrypt content in normal operation. See the security page. Yes Yes End-to-end between Apple devices. Chats with Android go over SMS, which isn't encrypted, or RCS, where encryption depends on the mobile network. Synced history is end-to-end only if iCloud Backup is off or Advanced Data Protection is on, and that isn't offered to new UK users. Yes Yes Ordinary chats are encrypted between you and Telegram, which holds the keys. Only opt-in Secret Chats are end-to-end: one-to-one, on the device that started them, and not for groups. No
End-to-end encrypted (the operator can't read messages) No Not end-to-end, by design: Shoal holds the keys. That's what lets family admins read children's chats — and it means Shoal could decrypt messages. See the security page. Yes Partial End-to-end between Apple devices. Chats with Android go over SMS, which isn't encrypted, or RCS, where encryption depends on the mobile network. Synced history is end-to-end only if iCloud Backup is off or Advanced Data Protection is on, and that isn't offered to new UK users. Yes Partial Ordinary chats are encrypted between you and Telegram, which holds the keys. Only opt-in Secret Chats are end-to-end: one-to-one, on the device that started them, and not for groups. No
Approved contacts only — no DMs from strangers Yes Partial Parent-managed accounts for under-13s (rolling out from 2026) let a parent decide who can message their child. Partial Child Accounts can be set to ask a parent before contacting anyone new. No No Yes
Works without a phone number for the user Yes No Partial iMessage between Apple devices can use an Apple Account email address; texting Android phones over SMS or RCS needs a phone number. Partial Usernames let you avoid sharing your number with contacts, but a phone number is still needed to register (a beta version for Android is testing sign-up without one). No Yes
Admin oversight built into the protocol Yes Partial Parental controls (rolling out from 2026) cover contacts, groups and settings. Parents can't read their child's chats. Partial Apple's parental tools (Screen Time, Communication Safety, Family Sharing) control who a child can contact and when, but don't show parents the chats. No No Partial Parents can view their child's messages from Meta's Parent Dashboard, managed through a Facebook account.
No ads, no data sold Yes Partial Shows ads in its Updates tab, not in chats. Owned by Meta; if you add WhatsApp to Meta's Accounts Centre, your Meta account information is used to choose those ads. Yes Yes Partial Telegram shows sponsored messages in large public channels. Yes
Runs on any device (web + mobile) Yes Yes No Partial Desktop and mobile, but no web client. Yes Partial Phone and tablet apps only, no web client, and not currently offered in the UK.
Multi-family / multi-household support Yes No No No No No
Cross-family approval for kids' friendships Yes No No No No Partial Parental approval on one side. Not the two-sided, both-families-must-agree model Shoal builds in.
Messaging hours per child Yes No Partial Apple Screen Time can restrict app use generally; not Messages-specific time windows per child. No No Partial Some kid-specific controls, but not per-child messaging hours with separate weekday and weekend windows.