Komms - Private messaging that keeps working

Why Komms exists

Encryption is the start.
Resilience is the difference.

Komms is designed for people who want private messaging without making one phone number, one company, or one network connection load-bearing.

01

Your identity starts on your device.

Create an encrypted local identity without registering a phone number, email address, or central account.

02

The conversation survives a route change.

Internet, nearby links, radio mesh, and encrypted courier files are delivery options for the same conversation.

03

The network can belong to its users.

Communicate directly or run a blind relay. There is no mandatory Komms service that every message must cross.

Compare Komms with other messengers

Choose your depth

Start simple.
Go as deep as you need.

Start with the practical difference, see the system under the hood, or inspect every security decision in the public documentation.

01 · Compare

Which messenger fits your threat model?

See Komms beside Signal, WhatsApp, SimpleX, and Briar—including where those products are stronger today.

Open the comparison → 02 · How it works

Follow a message from device to device.

Explore identity, sealed envelopes, transport choices, cryptography, and explicit system limits.

Go under the hood → 03 · Documentation

Read the design, not just the promise.

Open the threat model, protocol specifications, architecture decisions, roadmap, and release evidence.

Read the documentation →

Komms 0.3 Alpha

Pair faster. Send first. Keep retrying honestly.

Public test packages are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. iOS remains source and Simulator only.

Download 0.3 Alpha Installation guide

Camera-friendly pairing QR User-priority delivery queue 30-digit safety numbers Four-platform visual gate

Alpha: unsigned desktop packages, a debug-signed Android APK, and no independent security audit yet. Do not rely on this release for emergencies or high-risk communication.

A meaningful Alpha upgrade

Komms 0.3 pairs faster and keeps fresh messages moving.

Install the updated desktop app, sideload the Android APK, or run the multi-architecture kultd node. Version 0.3 focuses on pairing, delivery, and platform parity:

Camera-friendly pairingCompact Base45 and bounded animated QR frames carry the complete post-quantum bundle.
Fresh actions firstNew messages bypass passive retries; unresolved delivery becomes an honest failure after 30 days.
Clearer verificationCompare 30 readable digits or scan the full 256-bit safety value.
Release evidenceHuman visual approval now covers Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux.

Choose a package Install safely

Alpha warningVerify the published SHA256 checksum before installing. Expect OS security prompts. Do not use this build for emergencies, high-risk communication, or irreplaceable data.

Windows 10/11

x64 MSI or setup EXE

macOS

Universal DMG for Apple silicon and Intel

Linux

x86-64 AppImage, DEB, or RPM

Android 8+

Debug-signed APK for arm64 phones and x86 emulators

Self-host a kultd node

Docker image for Linux amd64 and arm64 · Open the container package ↗

Komms 0.3 across every shell

Private messaging should feel approachable.

The everyday interface stays focused on people and conversations. Recovery, linked devices, and advanced transports remain available when you need them.

Komms unlock screen with the yellow K mark and private messaging introduction — **Private from the first screen**Create or unlock a local encrypted identity without a phone number or central account.

Komms conversation-first inbox showing node health, pairing, note to self, private conversations, and groups — **Conversations first**Node health stays visible, while technical diagnostics remain one tap away.

Development preview captured from the iOS Simulator. iOS remains source/Simulator-only; current public test packages are available for desktop and Android.

Simple on the outside

It feels like messaging.
It works almost anywhere.

You should not need to understand networks or encryption. Komms handles the complicated part in the background.

1

Connect with someone

Share a link, scan a code, or meet in person. No phone number or email address required.

2

Message like normal

Send private messages and share with groups in an app made to feel familiar from day one.

3

Komms finds a way

Online or off, Komms chooses an available route. Your conversation stays the same.

The alpha today

A real messenger.
Not a protocol demo.

The core product now works across desktop, Android, and iOS, with public desktop and Android test packages. “Shipped alpha” means implemented and tested—not audited, stable, or ready for high-risk use.

Shipped alpha Release qualification remains

✦Shipped alpha

Rich private conversations

Text, safe formatting, authenticated edits, voice notes, scheduled messages, and honest queued, sent, and delivered states.

◎Shipped alpha

Private groups

Sender-key group chats with encrypted mentions, convergent polls, owner/admin/member roles, membership controls, and per-person delivery truth.

⌁Audio alpha

Private live audio calls

Authenticated, encrypted audio over a fresh direct QUIC connection. Calls stay unavailable on relays, TCP, mailboxes, files, and radio; video remains gated on physical audio qualification.

◇Shipped alpha

Your chats, on your devices

Up to eight independently keyed devices, mutually confirmed nearby linking, encrypted sync, exact-device revocation, and mnemonic-protected local backups.

◒Shipped alpha

Privacy controls you choose

Disappearing messages, view-once media, screen protection, incognito-keyboard hints, safety-number verification, and key-change warnings.

And the useful details already in the alpha

Contact petnames · conversation pins · folders · private labels · scheduled messages · note to self · themes · dark mode · custom icons

See the honest feature scope

Different on purpose

No public feed, no cloud account, and no pretending a 1,000-person video group can work over LoRa. Komms keeps the familiar messenger experience and changes the parts that require a central service.

Made for real life

Stay in touch when life gets patchy.

Most days, the internet works. Sometimes it does not. Komms is being designed for both.

Bad signal

Keep a group chat moving at a festival, on a train, or anywhere the network is crowded.

Internet outage

Reach family and neighbours through local connections when home internet goes down.

Far off-grid

Pair Komms with affordable radios to send messages over long distances without cell service.

One conversation, many routes

You keep talking.
Komms keeps trying.

A regular messenger usually needs its company's servers. Komms is designed to move the same sealed message through whatever is available.

Go under the hood

⌁ Same sealed message

Private by design

Your conversations belong to the people in them.

Komms is designed without an account provider sitting in the middle. That means less information to collect, scan, sell, leak, or switch off.

What Komms can and cannot protect

✓
Messages are locked on your device
Only the intended people hold the keys to read them.
✓
Your history stays with you
It is stored locally, encrypted, exportable, and truly deletable.
✓
Anyone can inspect the code
Komms is open source and designed to stay that way.

An honest status update

Ready for testers. Not ready for trust without limits.

Komms 0.3 Alpha has unsigned desktop installers, a debug-signed Android APK, and a multi-architecture self-hosted node. Hands-on device and radio qualification, production signing, app-store distribution, hardening, and an independent security audit are still ahead.

Read the Alpha testing guide

Good questions

The short, honest answers.

What exactly is Komms?

Komms is a private, open-source messaging app in development. It is designed to let devices communicate directly, so your conversations do not depend on one company or one central server.

Can I download it today?

Yes. Komms 0.3 Alpha has public test packages for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. Desktop packages are unsigned, the Android APK is debug-signed, and iOS remains source and Simulator only. Verify the published SHA256 checksums before installing.

Does it really work without the internet?

That is one of the main goals. The same private message is designed to travel over the internet, a nearby connection, an affordable radio, or even an encrypted file carried by a person.

Is it safe for high-risk situations?

Not today. Komms is still in development and has not completed an independent security audit. It should not yet be relied on by people in high-risk situations.

Who owns Komms?

Komms is an open-source project. Its public license means anyone can inspect it, improve it, or build on it, and public versions must keep their source open too.

Will it have the features I already use?

Much of that product surface now works in the alpha: rich text, editing, groups, files, voice notes, disappearing and view-once content, polls, roles, linked devices, backups, and direct audio calls. Stable release qualification and polish remain, and bandwidth-heavy features wait for a suitable connection.

Ready for the technical version? See how Komms works, or open the complete documentation.

The 0.3 Alpha is public

Test the Alpha.
Tell us what breaks.

Try Komms on your devices, report rough edges, and help make the next release stronger.

Download 0.3 Alpha Read the testing guide

Private messaging that keeps working.

One messenger.
Any transport.

Encryption is the start.
Resilience is the difference.

Your identity starts on your device.

The conversation survives a route change.

The network can belong to its users.

Start simple.
Go as deep as you need.

Which messenger fits your threat model?

Follow a message from device to device.

Read the design, not just the promise.

Pair faster. Send first. Keep retrying honestly.

Komms 0.3 pairs faster and keeps fresh messages moving.

Windows 10/11

macOS

Linux

Android 8+

Self-host a kultd node

Private messaging should feel approachable.

It feels like messaging.
It works almost anywhere.

Connect with someone

Message like normal

Komms finds a way

A real messenger.
Not a protocol demo.

Rich private conversations

Private groups

Private live audio calls

Your chats, on your devices

Privacy controls you choose

Stay in touch when life gets patchy.

Bad signal

Internet outage

Far off-grid

You keep talking.
Komms keeps trying.

Your conversations belong to the people in them.

Ready for testers. Not ready for trust without limits.

The short, honest answers.

Test the Alpha.
Tell us what breaks.

Private messaging that keeps working.

One messenger.Any transport.

Encryption is the start.Resilience is the difference.

Your identity starts on your device.

The conversation survives a route change.

The network can belong to its users.

Start simple.Go as deep as you need.

Which messenger fits your threat model?

Follow a message from device to device.

Read the design, not just the promise.

Pair faster. Send first. Keep retrying honestly.

One messenger.
Any transport.

Encryption is the start.
Resilience is the difference.

Start simple.
Go as deep as you need.