Question 1

Is VeilChat really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and it always will be. VeilChat is built and maintained as an independent privacy project. There are no ads, no premium tiers, and no data sales because we don't have your data to sell.

Question 2

Do I need to give my phone number?

Accepted Answer

No. You can sign up with a private ID and a recovery phrase that exists only on your device. Phone and email signup are also available if you prefer that.

Question 3

Can the VeilChat team read my messages?

Accepted Answer

No. Encryption keys are generated on your device and never leave it. Our servers only see opaque ciphertext — bytes that look like random noise. Even if someone hacked us, they'd find nothing readable.

Question 4

What happens if I lose my device?

Accepted Answer

If you signed up with a recovery phrase, you can restore access on a new device. Your encrypted message history isn't recoverable by design — that's the privacy trade-off we believe is worth making.

Question 5

Does VeilChat work on iPhone?

Accepted Answer

Yes. VeilChat works as a Progressive Web App — open it in Safari, tap Share → Add to Home Screen, and it behaves like a native app, including push notifications on iOS 16.4+.

Question 6

Is the source code really open?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every line — client, server, and crypto layer — is on GitHub under a permissive license. Audit it, run it, or self-host the entire stack on your own infrastructure.