About

Privacy isn't a feature. It's the foundation.

Cipher is a standalone, end-to-end encrypted messenger built by Arcane Systems. No phone numbers, no ad networks, no data to sell — just a fast, private place to talk.

Why we built it

Most "secure" messengers still know too much.

They want your phone number. They map your contacts. They log who you talk to and when, even if they can't read what you say. We wanted something with a smaller footprint — an app where the server is deliberately kept ignorant, and where the privacy claims are structural, not just policy.

Cipher encrypts every message on your device before it leaves, using the same Signal Protocol trusted by security professionals worldwide. What reaches our servers is ciphertext bound for a recipient — nothing we could read, and nothing worth stealing.

How it works

Encryption on your device, relay in the middle.

1 · Keys never leave your device

Your private keys are generated and stored only on your phone. We publish just your public prekey bundle so others can start a session with you.

2 · Every message is sealed

X3DH establishes a session; the Double Ratchet rotates keys with every message, giving forward secrecy and post-compromise security.

3 · The server only relays

Cipher stores and forwards encrypted blobs. It never sees plaintext, never holds your keys, and keeps no readable history.

4 · Delivered without draining battery

A lightweight push wakes the app to fetch a waiting message. No always-on socket, no background polling — private and efficient.

The essentials

What Cipher is, at a glance.

Encryption
Signal Protocol — X3DH key agreement + Double Ratchet. Forward secrecy and post-compromise security.
Identity
Username + password. No phone number, no email required (email is optional, only for account recovery).
Messaging
Direct & group chats, encrypted files, images, voice notes, disappearing & pinned messages, read receipts.
Delivery
FCM push-wake when closed, live websocket in the foreground. Battery-first by design.
Platforms
Native Android (Jetpack Compose) today; web client and Google Play listing on the way.
Maker
Arcane Systems — an independent studio. No investors demanding your data.

Ready to try it?

Cipher is in early access on Android. Your feedback shapes what comes next.

⬇ Download for Android Get in touch