Tox is a free, decentralized, end-to-end encrypted messaging and video-call protocol with no central servers. See how it works and which clients support it.
Tox is a free, open-source protocol for instant messaging, voice, and video calling that is built to be fully peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted by default, with no central servers relaying or storing user messages. It is documented and distributed through tox.chat and is maintained by a volunteer community rather than a company.
The project traces back to 2013, when developers on the 4chan imageboard began discussing the need for a secure messenger free of centralized infrastructure, spurred by concerns over Skype's ties to the NSA following Edward Snowden's leaks. The first code was committed to GitHub on June 23, 2013, and the protocol reached a public alpha in mid-2014.
Because Tox is a protocol rather than a single app, it is implemented by several independent client applications, such as qTox, Toxic, uTox, and Antox, which provide the actual chat, call, and file-transfer interfaces on top of the underlying encrypted peer-to-peer network.
Every connection in Tox is encrypted using NaCl-based cryptography with no way to disable encryption, and the network relies on a distributed hash table for finding peers rather than a centralized directory server, meaning no single company operates the backbone that user traffic passes through.
Beyond basic text chat, the protocol supports voice and video calling, file transfer, and group chats, aiming to match the functionality of mainstream messaging apps while keeping the underlying architecture decentralized.
Client diversity is a notable characteristic of the project: rather than one official app controlled by a single vendor, multiple community-built clients implement the Tox protocol across desktop and mobile platforms, giving users some choice in interface and feature set while relying on the same underlying encrypted network.
Tox is completely free. There is no company selling licenses, subscriptions, or accounts; the protocol, reference libraries, and most client applications are released under open-source licenses and can be downloaded, self-compiled, or run without any payment.
Because there is no central operator, there are also no server costs passed on to users; anyone can run a Tox-compatible client and connect directly to other users on the network at no cost beyond their own internet connection.
Tox is a free, open-source, peer-to-peer messaging and video-calling protocol that encrypts all communication end-to-end without relying on central servers.
Yes, Tox is entirely free and open source, with no subscriptions, accounts, or company behind it.
Tox is developed and maintained by a volunteer, community-driven open-source project rather than a single company.
Unlike Signal or WhatsApp, which still route encrypted traffic through centrally operated servers, Tox is fully peer-to-peer with no central server relaying or storing messages.
No, Tox does not require a phone number to create an identity, since it uses cryptographic keys generated locally by the client rather than centralized account registration.
Several independent client apps implement the Tox protocol, including qTox, Toxic, uTox, and Antox, across desktop and mobile platforms.
The core protocol and several client projects remain community-maintained, though development activity has varied over the years since the project's 2013 founding.
Tox encrypts all communication by default using NaCl-based cryptography, though as with any community-maintained security project, users should evaluate specific client implementations for their security needs.