Arc vs Signal
The gold standard — and where Arc goes further.
Signal is the privacy benchmark, and Arc runs on the very same engine: libsignal with PQXDH (ML-KEM-1024) and the Double Ratchet. On raw cryptography the two are neck and neck. The difference is what Arc layers on top.
Updated 2026-06-02 · evaluated by Claude Code Opus 4.8 Ultracode
Head-to-head score
Scores from the same independent 9-axis, 100-point rubric used across all 20 messengers. Higher is better.
Arc
89 / 100
Signal
90 / 100
| Axis | Arc | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | 18 | 18 |
| Fwd/Bwd Secrecy | 14 | 14 |
| Post-Quantum | 14 | 14 |
| E2EE Coverage | 12 | 13 |
| Sender Privacy | 3 | 10 |
| Registration Privacy | 9 | 6 |
| Ephemeral | 11 | 5 |
| Verification UX | 4 | 5 |
| Multi-Device | 4 | 5 |
Why choose Arc over Signal
01
Dual-layer ephemerality. On each device, messages disappear at the IGF time — or the moment that device next comes online after it. From Arc's servers they are purged on a plan-based schedule: within at most 24 hours even on the free Essential plan, and sooner on paid plans. Mutual Burn additionally removes them on read. Arc scores a perfect 11/11 on the Ephemeral axis versus Signal's 5.
02
Defense in depth: post-quantum cryptography for the present and disappearance for the future. Because deleted ciphertext cannot be decrypted later, Arc structurally collapses the 'harvest-now, decrypt-later' threat.
03
More than chat: BLE Mesh offline messaging and an integrated, design-led experience that Signal does not offer — all while E2EE stays free for everyone.
What Signal does well
- Signal's Sealed Sender is enabled for everyone today; Arc's is temporarily OFF during the internal beta (production is the target), so Signal currently leads on sender privacy.
- The longest public third-party audit history and the largest privacy-focused user base in the world.
The bottom line
Arc (89) trails Signal (90) by a single point — and pulls ahead the moment Sender Privacy ships in production (projected 96). If you want Signal-grade cryptography plus dual-layer disappearing messages and offline mesh, Arc is the upgrade.
Get Arc — E2EE, free for everyone
See the full 20-messenger comparison
How Arc's encryption works