We've just published a page listing every privacy and security feature in Vardum, our native messaging app for iPhone and Android (Android is a closed beta on Google Play). There are 51 features and 25 settings, and each one was checked against the current build, d90a496. The code is public under AGPL-3.0, so you can check them too.
Why write it all down
Most messengers now use strong encryption. Where they differ is everything around it: what the lock screen shows, what the keyboard sees, what's left on the clipboard, what's inside the photos you send, and what happens when someone else is holding your phone.
A few of the less obvious ones
- Passwords and the 24-word recovery phrase go into Vardum's own keypad, so system keyboards and autofill never see them.
- Lock-screen alerts only ever say "Notification".
- Copied text clears itself after 60 seconds.
- GPS, camera details and dates are stripped from photos and videos before sending.
- Vardum's data is left out of iCloud and Google backups.
- Calls always go through our relay. If the relay can't be reached, the call fails rather than connect directly, so neither phone learns the other's IP.
- In one-to-one chats, sending is locked until you've both confirmed a safety code.
Six we couldn't find elsewhere
Among Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, Threema, SimpleX, Session and Olvid, none documents: a decoy password that opens a separate, fully working Vardum; a duress password that erases Vardum and asks the server to delete your data; a 14-day self-destruct countdown; holding all downloads while the phone is locked; vaults with a hidden second volume; or text hidden inside an ordinary photo.
The comparison
The 21-row table was checked against each app's own docs and code on 4 November 2026. It credits the others where they're ahead. The biggest one: several of them have had independent security audits. Vardum's cryptography is self-reviewed today, and an independent audit is planned for early 2027.
Full list: https://tryvardum.app/features/
Comparison: https://tryvardum.app/features/#compare
If you spot a row we've got wrong, tell us in the comments and we'll fix it.
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