# Wire privacy rating

End-to-end encrypted messenger and team collaboration app from Switzerland, with chats, calls and file sharing using Proteus and MLS. Accounts use an email address, and organizations can self-host federated backends.

## Summary

Wire scores 61 out of 100 (grade C) on the messengers criteria. It meets 5 of 8 criteria: open source, no ads or data sales, end-to-end encrypted by default, no phone number needed and decentralized. It does not meet no trackers or telemetry, independent audit and metadata protection. It is based in Switzerland: Not in the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes; GDPR-style data protection law.

- Website: https://wire.com
- Source code: https://github.com/wireapp
- Jurisdiction: Switzerland. Not in the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes. GDPR-style data protection law.
- Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web
- Home page trackers: Google Tag Manager
- Category: [Messengers](https://privacyratings.com/messengers/)
- Grade: C (61/100)

## Criteria

| Criterion | Answer | Note | Evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Open source | Yes | The server is AGPL-3.0 and the apps are GPL-3.0. | https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/blob/develop/LICENSE |
| No trackers or telemetry | No | The apps use only opt-in, self-hosted Countly analytics, but the website uses Google Analytics and HubSpot after cookie consent. | https://wire.com/en/privacy-policy |
| No ads or data sales | Yes | Funded by paid team and enterprise plans, with no ads. | https://wire.com/en/pricing |
| Independent audit | No | No independent audit is published. |  |
| End-to-end encrypted by default | Yes | Messages, calls and files are end-to-end encrypted by default, and encryption cannot be turned off. | https://wire.com/en/security |
| No phone number needed | Yes | Accounts can be registered with an email address instead of a phone number. | https://wire-docs.wire.com/download/Wire+Security+Whitepaper.pdf |
| Metadata protection | No | The server stores each user's connections and conversation memberships. | https://wire-docs.wire.com/download/Wire+Privacy+Whitepaper.pdf |
| Decentralized | Yes | Organizations can run their own Wire backend, and backends can federate with each other. | https://docs.wire.com/latest/understand/federation/index.html |

Source: https://privacyratings.com/messengers/wire/
Edit: https://github.com/privacyratings/privacyratings.com/edit/main/ratings/messengers/wire.md