Messenger, groups and pages: Friendstime as a Telegram alternative
Many people use Telegram for three things: private chats, large groups and channels to follow. On Friendstime you find counterparts to these, embedded in a social network from Germany. This page shows what exists, what is encrypted and where the limits are. There is no connection to Telegram itself.
Private chats with end-to-end encrypted text
On Friendstime the text of private chats is end-to-end encrypted when both accounts have a key; you do not have to switch it on for each chat. The devices exchange the key with ML-KEM-768, or with RSA-OAEP for accounts without such a key. Voice messages, pictures, videos and files in one-to-one chats are end-to-end encrypted under the same condition; we do not promise this for group chats. Calls are protected only in part.
Sign up without a phone number
A username, an email address and a password are enough for an account. Your address book is not uploaded. You find contacts through search, suggestions with mutual friends or your private invite link.
Groups in two sizes
In the messenger you create chat groups with up to 50 other people; their text is end-to-end encrypted once all members use a current app or the web messenger. For larger communities there are community groups with posts, roles, a group chat and voice channels; their chat is not end-to-end encrypted.
Pages instead of channels
Clubs, artists and businesses create a page on Friendstime that people can follow, with their own posts and statistics. Anyone who likes the page sees its posts in their own feed. You can switch the feed to a purely chronological order. This keeps clubs and artists in the same network as the conversations with your friends.
What else you get
Friendstime runs in the browser, as an installable web app and as an Android app that you download straight from friendsti.me. For confidential files there is the file vault, which encrypts files in the browser with AES-256-GCM. If you want to hide your IP address, you can also reach Friendstime via an onion address on the Tor network. There is no connection to other messengers.
Try it yourself
Signing up takes a minute and is free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to switch on encryption for each chat?
No. The text of private chats is end-to-end encrypted as soon as both accounts have a key.
Are there channels like on Telegram?
The counterpart is pages: you follow them with a like and see their posts in your feed.
Do I need a phone number?
No. A username, an email address and a password are enough.
Can I message Telegram contacts from Friendstime?
No. Friendstime has no interface to other messengers; you reach other Friendstime members.
Is Friendstime available on a PC?
Yes. Friendstime runs in the browser, can be installed as a web app and is available as an Android app directly from friendsti.me.