Briar is a privacy-first messaging app that works even when the internet is down. Messages sync directly between devices, with optional Tor routing for enhanced privacy, and it’s open source, ad-free, and auditable. Designed for activists, journalists, and others who need secure, decentralized communication.
Pros & Cons
Privacy-focused by design with decentralized, server-free messaging
Offline-first syncing via Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, or memory cards enhances resilience
Tor integration adds an extra layer of privacy for network routing
Open source with auditable, reproducible builds ensures transparency and trust
Decentralized design may be less familiar or convenient for users accustomed to centralized, always-on messaging
Tor-based privacy can introduce latency and a steeper learning curve for new users
Requires a broad set of permissions (location, Bluetooth, camera, biometrics, etc.)—review permissions to match your privacy preferences
About Briar
Briar is a communication app developed by Briar Project.
How many times has Briar been downloaded?
Briar has been downloaded 4.3 million times. In the last 30 days, the app was downloaded 140 thousand times. It is ranked in the top 100 communication apps.
What is the rating of Briar?
Briar is rated 3.47 out of 5 stars, based on 4.4 thousand ratings.
Is Briar free?
Briar is free to download. The APK download size is 48.23 MB. The latest version available is 1.5.17. The last update was on March 2, 2026.
What are the requirements for Briar?
Briar requires Android 5.0+ or higher. The app has a content rating of Everyone. The app has been available on Google Play April 2018.
Description
Briar is a messaging app designed for activists, journalists, and anyone else who needs a safe, easy and robust way to communicate.
Get a detailed PDF report for Briar with download trends, rating history,
and key performance statistics — useful for competitive research or tracking your own app.
Learn more
Are you the developer of this app? Join us for free to see more information about your app and learn how we can help you promote and earn money with your app.
Briar is the ultimate "Plan B" as KOSA and the Online Safety Act pushes for ID scans. Its serverless P2P design is immune to censorship. As a Linux user, I love the native desktop app. The "Mailbox" feature fixed sync issues, and it still works via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi mesh if the internet goes down. Yes, P2P uses more battery by design to keep you connected without a server, but it’s a fair trade for true privacy without face scans. Essential for a free internet.
★★★★★Farah Anwar· Jun 16, 2026
It's good and all but Ui need improvement and connectivity also I cannot really use my account on both my PC and Mobile, the same account as session... other than that it's Good For privacy and private Chat well too good Even if Govt forces you to give chat history, You won't even know how to access that die to TOR anyway 5 Star
★★★★★Robert Kromski· May 27, 2026
I approve it I've looked deep in to how briar works. I've used much privacy focussed messengers before and this one ranks the highest for me in terms of privacy. But some customization would be nice. For example a custom wallpaper in a contact's chat
★☆☆☆☆Eugene Gribov· Mar 20, 2026
Just installed. In a half of the day it uses 30% of my battery. I haven't even used it! Maybe if works as advertised, but with such battery consumption - no way.
★★☆☆☆Thi Hoang· Feb 13, 2026
It only works within a single connection mode. If you enable both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can chat fine. But, if you disable one of them on one device, the connection is lost. It doesn't automatically switch to the other connection as expected. Even after re-enabling both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the connection remains broken, so the best approach right now is to enable only Bluetooth
★☆☆☆☆Silke Gianna la Ragazza· Feb 24, 2026
I don't get it to work. Tried three times to sign up, but always the app crashed before the sign-up could be completed. Uninstalled... although I loved the idea that it'd work via Bluetooth too, but if the sign-up doesn't even work...
★★☆☆☆Devashish Roy· Nov 19, 2025
It accesses my files without asking permission. Permission manager in my phone setting still shows that briar doesn't have permission to acess files or photos and videos. But as soon as I go to briar setting > profile > profile picture. It shows me my pics and videos to put as the profile picture.
AppBrain offers valuable information about your app and those of your competitors. Join AppBrain for free and claim this app to view more ranking data, view history etc.
Briar is requesting 22 permissions and is using 34 libraries.
Show details
Trust & Safety: Briar emphasizes privacy and security through its decentralized architecture, Tor support, and absence of ads or tracking. The app requests a broad permissions set (location, Bluetooth, camera, biometrics, notifications, wake/overlay and more), so users should review these settings and the privacy policy (https://briarproject.org/privacy) to ensure alignment with their safety preferences. The project is open-source and auditable, developed by a small non-profit, Briar Project.
Back to top
AppBrain Intelligence premium content
Subscribe now to get full and unlimited access to AppBrain Intelligence.
You'll have access to:
Each subscription will automatically renew 3 days before the expiration date for
the same time period. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time before the renewal.
