Wickr Review
In this age of fast transactions and even faster communications, the existence of online communication platforms is a blessing. We have sufficient power in our hands to complete business deals across continents and even save lives by sending the right messages with a few touches and swipes. While it as certainly becomes easier and faster to interact with people, the need for security and protection of an individual's privacy has also become imperative.
Most of us have good reason to suspect some of the more mainstream messaging platforms out there since we can't be sure if our privacy is being compromised or not. We hesitate to discuss confidential matters on such platforms, and this is an inconvenience because like I said, it is hard to survive in this age without a messaging platform at your disposal.
Enter Wickr.com, a secure sexting app which hails itself as the "Top-Secret Messenger". Is there even an ounce of truth to this grandiose claim? Let's review this sexting app, and you can make up your mind at the end.
Introduction
To start with, Wickr is essentially a secure communications platform which allows its users to send messages to each other without compromising on user privacy, as strong encryption algorithms and total elimination of messages within a certain period are involved. The app is available on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and even Linux.
Other than the stand-out security-specific features, Wickr is just another messaging app which allows you to send text messages to people, share different forms of media with all of your contacts (or a specific group) and search for other users to befriend and subsequently interact with.
Features
First off, Wickr's encryption algorithms are what makes it so intriguing. Your user ID, as well as your device, go through several rounds of cryptographic hashing using the SHA256 algorithm. Additionally, all of the data is encrypted via AES256 whenever it is beings sent or even when it is stored in your device.
You can set your sent messages to remove themselves in a matter of seconds once the recipient has viewed them. Moreover, the screenshot function is deactivated in the app so users can't record conversations.
The Friend Finder feature allows you to search for friends on the platform, and you also have the option of inviting people from your contacts list. Finally, there is even a photo editor with basic functions such as cropping and writing text on the images.
Pros and cons
As far as the pros are concerned, you can send exchange end-to-end encrypted messages and search other users on the platform securely. Even if you are using it on your phone, your phone number isn't required for creating an account, so that's a relief. Screenshots are disabled, and a photo editor always makes a messaging platform worth it.
However, the app is not open-source therefore there is no way to verify its security or even understand how it works. Additionally, the app hardly has any traction; it has a very small user base, and it can certainly be hard to convince your friends to shift to this app.
Cost
Wickr comes in three flavours: Wickr me, which is completely free to use, Wickr pro, which has a $25 per month fee for each user (there is a 30-day trial, though), and Wickr enterprise, which is business-to-business solutions, therefore, the rates are set accordingly.