Messaging & Chat

Business messaging and chat applications for internal team communication and external collaboration. European messaging tools provide end-to-end encryption and store conversation data exclusively within the EU, keeping your business discussions private and GDPR-compliant.

What to Look For

End-to-end encrypted messaging
Group channels
File sharing
Voice messages
Read receipts

GDPR Considerations

Business messaging platforms accumulate a vast archive of internal communications: strategy discussions, HR conversations, client details, financial figures, and casual exchanges that may inadvertently contain personal data. Unlike email, messaging tends to be informal and high-volume, making it harder to audit and control. Under GDPR, this unstructured personal data still requires proper protection, lawful processing, and the ability to respond to data subject requests. European messaging providers address these concerns by encrypting messages end-to-end, storing all data on EU servers, and providing administrative tools for message retention and deletion policies. This ensures that your team's daily communication is governed by European law, not subject to foreign surveillance frameworks.

How to Choose

With 5 European messaging & chat options available, choosing the right one depends on your priorities. Here's a quick guide:

€

On a budget or just exploring

Wire, Element offer free tiers

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Need code transparency or self-hosting

Wire, Element are open source

Enterprise procurement requirements

Wire, Stackfield, Teamwire hold ISO 27001

Specific data residency requirements

Data hosted in Germany, Switzerland

European Messaging & Chat Software

Wire screenshot
Wire logo

Wire

End-to-end encrypted collaboration platform

Free
Zug
🇨🇭🇩🇪🇪🇺
GDPRISO 27001DPA
Open Source
Threema screenshot
Threema logo

Threema

Privacy-first messaging, no phone number required

€5 one-time
Pfaeffikon
🇨🇭
GDPRDPA
Element screenshot
Element logo

Element

Secure messaging built on the Matrix protocol

Free
London
🇩🇪
GDPRDPA
Open Source
Stackfield screenshot
Stackfield logo

Stackfield

German encrypted collaboration for teams

From €11/mo
Munich
🇩🇪
GDPRISO 27001DPA
Teamwire screenshot
Teamwire logo

Teamwire

Secure enterprise messenger made in Germany

From €3/mo
Munich
🇩🇪
GDPRISO 27001DPA

Compare Messaging & Chat Products

Wire vs Threema
Wire vs Element
Wire vs Stackfield
Wire vs Teamwire
Threema vs Element
Threema vs Stackfield

Messaging & Chat by Country

Messaging & Chat in Germany

🇩🇪 Browse messaging & chat hosted in Germany

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Messaging & Chat — Frequently Asked Questions

Is WhatsApp Business compliant with GDPR for European companies?
WhatsApp is owned by Meta, a US company with a troubled GDPR track record. Meta has been fined over 1.2 billion euros for illegal data transfers to the US. WhatsApp shares metadata with Meta's broader infrastructure, including contact lists and usage patterns. While WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, the metadata around those messages is not. For business use involving customer data, employee communications, or sensitive discussions, a European messaging provider offers stronger legal protection and avoids the regulatory uncertainty surrounding Meta's data practices.
What is the difference between encryption in transit and end-to-end encryption for business chat?
Encryption in transit protects messages while they travel between your device and the server, but the provider can read messages on their servers. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) means messages are encrypted on the sender's device and can only be decrypted by the recipient. With E2EE, even the messaging provider cannot access your conversation content. For GDPR purposes, E2EE provides the strongest technical measure because it eliminates the risk of the provider being compelled to hand over readable message content to any authority. European tools like Wire and Threema offer E2EE by default.
How do I handle message retention and deletion under GDPR for team chat?
GDPR requires that personal data is not kept longer than necessary. For team messaging, this means you need configurable retention policies that automatically delete messages after a defined period. European messaging platforms typically offer organisation-wide retention settings, per-channel policies, and individual message deletion capabilities. You also need to handle data subject access requests, meaning you must be able to export or delete all messages from a specific user. European providers build these administrative tools natively, while US-based platforms may offer them only on expensive enterprise tiers.
See only GDPR-compliant Messaging & Chat