Zerion is a private messenger. It runs over Tor, so your IP address stays hidden from the people you talk to and from the network itself. There's no phone number, no email, and no account on anyone's server. Your data lives encrypted on your own device — nowhere else.
Everything is end-to-end encrypted with hybrid post-quantum cryptography: today's proven algorithms together with the new NIST quantum-resistant ones. Keys move forward with every message, so a key uncovered today cannot open yesterday's conversations. If large quantum computers arrive sooner than expected, what you sent in the past stays protected.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• One-to-one chats, end-to-end encrypted
• Group chats up to a few dozen people
• Voice and video calls over Tor (opt-in, off by default)
• Send photos, videos, voice notes, and documents
• Disappearing messages
• Stickers
• Introduce two of your contacts to each other, securely
• A built-in vault for passwords, notes, and private files
• Channels — a one-to-many broadcast layer with optional discussion threads
• Translated into more than 35 languages
CHANNELS
One person writes, many people read.
• Public channels: anyone with the invite link can subscribe
• Private channels: people ask to join and the owner approves
• Discussion threads: the owner decides, per channel, whether subscribers can reply
• Reactions, pinned posts, and attachments
• Editor delegations: let trusted people post without sharing your identity key
• Subscribers never see one another — no member list leaks between them
HARDENED MODE (OPT-IN)
Three independent protections under Security settings, all off by default:
• Refuse to start on tampered devices (unlocked bootloader, modified system)
• Refuse to start when a debugger, root, or hooking framework is detected
• Sign out automatically — or wipe — if USB debugging or file transfer is switched on
PRIVACY AND SECURITY
• Tor-only transport — no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or LAN exposure
• No phone number, no email, no central server
• No telemetry, no analytics, no crash reporting
• No logging of any kind — verified at build time
• Encrypted at rest with SQLCipher and a key derived from your password
• Screenshots blocked inside the app
• Notifications never reveal message contents
• Fully open source, GPL v3, security-reviewed before each release
UNDER THE HOOD
• Hybrid post-quantum key exchange (X25519 + ML-KEM-768)
• Hybrid signatures (Ed25519 + ML-DSA)
• Forward-secret message ratcheting
• Calls encrypted with AES-256-GCM; storage with SQLCipher (AES-256)
SUPPORT THE PROJECT
Zerion is free and open source — no ads, no trackers, no investors. If you'd like to help keep it independent, you can donate:
https://zerion.chat/donate.html
WHO IT'S FOR
People who want to talk to other people without a third party in the middle. Journalists and their sources, activists, lawyers and their clients, people in countries that block secure messengers. Anyone who doesn't want to hand a phone number to a tech company every time they install a messenger.
WHAT IT WON'T DO
• It won't message people who aren't on Zerion
• It won't work without an internet connection (Tor needs one)
• It won't restore your account if you forget the password — there is no recovery, and that's the point
LEARN MORE
• Website: https://zerion.chat
• Source: https://github.com/zerionproject/Zerion
GPL v3.
Donate
Versions
Although APK downloads are available below to give you the choice, you should be aware that by installing that way you will not receive update notifications and it's a less secure way to download. We recommend that you install the F-Droid client and use that.
Download F-Droid
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arm64-v8a
armeabi-v7a
This version requires Android 10 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
take pictures and videos
This app can take pictures and record videos using the camera while the app is in use.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
-
run foreground service with the type "camera"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "camera"
-
run foreground service with the type "dataSync"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "dataSync"
-
run foreground service with the type "microphone"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "microphone"
-
run foreground service with the type "phoneCall"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "phoneCall"
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run foreground service with the type "specialUse"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "specialUse"
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hide other apps overlays
This app can request that the system hides overlays originating from apps from being shown on top of it.
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have full network access
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
-
show notifications
Allows the app to show notifications
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run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
record audio
This app can record audio using the microphone while the app is in use.
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ask to ignore battery optimizations
Allows an app to ask for permission to ignore battery optimizations for that app.
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use biometric hardware
Allows the app to use biometric hardware for authentication
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display notifications as full screen activities on a locked device
Allows the app to display notifications as full screen activities on a locked device
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control vibration
Allows the app to control the vibrator.
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
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com.professor.zerion.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Download APK
59 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
New in version 2.0.2
v2.0.2 — quality, reliability, and platform hygiene
ONE-TIME SETTINGS RESET ON UPGRADE: at-rest encrypted preferences moved to an in-tree implementation that replaces the deprecated AndroidX security library. Decoy mode, the panic/wipe password, notification and security toggles, theme, and language are reset to defaults. Conversations, channels, groups, contacts, vault, and unread state are unaffected. After updating you will see a one-time in-app notice reminding you to reconfigure these in S
-
arm64-v8a
armeabi-v7a
This version requires Android 10 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
take pictures and videos
This app can take pictures and record videos using the camera while the app is in use.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
-
run foreground service with the type "camera"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "camera"
-
run foreground service with the type "dataSync"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "dataSync"
-
run foreground service with the type "microphone"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "microphone"
-
run foreground service with the type "phoneCall"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "phoneCall"
-
run foreground service with the type "specialUse"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "specialUse"
-
hide other apps overlays
This app can request that the system hides overlays originating from apps from being shown on top of it.
-
have full network access
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
-
show notifications
Allows the app to show notifications
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
record audio
This app can record audio using the microphone while the app is in use.
-
ask to ignore battery optimizations
Allows an app to ask for permission to ignore battery optimizations for that app.
-
use biometric hardware
Allows the app to use biometric hardware for authentication
-
display notifications as full screen activities on a locked device
Allows the app to display notifications as full screen activities on a locked device
-
control vibration
Allows the app to control the vibrator.
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
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com.professor.zerion.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Download APK
59 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
New in version 2.0.1
Build cleanup. PhotoView library moved from a vendored binary to source code, no functional change.
Required to support distribution on F-Droid's main repository while keeping the same signing key across the Play Store, the GitHub APK, and F-Droid — so users can switch between sources without reinstalling.
Full notes: https://github.com/zerionproject/Zerion/releases/tag/v2.0.1
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arm64-v8a
armeabi-v7a
x86
x86_64
This version requires Android 10 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
take pictures and videos
This app can take pictures and record videos using the camera while the app is in use.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
-
run foreground service with the type "camera"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "camera"
-
run foreground service with the type "dataSync"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "dataSync"
-
run foreground service with the type "microphone"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "microphone"
-
run foreground service with the type "phoneCall"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "phoneCall"
-
run foreground service with the type "specialUse"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "specialUse"
-
hide other apps overlays
This app can request that the system hides overlays originating from apps from being shown on top of it.
-
have full network access
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
-
show notifications
Allows the app to show notifications
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
record audio
This app can record audio using the microphone while the app is in use.
-
ask to ignore battery optimizations
Allows an app to ask for permission to ignore battery optimizations for that app.
-
use biometric hardware
Allows the app to use biometric hardware for authentication
-
display notifications as full screen activities on a locked device
Allows the app to display notifications as full screen activities on a locked device
-
control vibration
Allows the app to control the vibrator.
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
-
com.professor.zerion.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Download APK
83 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
