App dossier · Messaging
Signal
Developer: Signal Messenger, LLC
- US App Store rating13+
- Google Play ratingEveryone
Private messaging and calls with end-to-end encryption. A teen might use it for family or friend groups that value privacy. Encryption protects communication from outside interception, not from an untrustworthy person at the other end.
Official store icon identified from the store listing artwork (opens in new tab). Icon is shown to identify the app; trademark belongs to Signal Messenger, LLC.
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The essentials
Age, contact, spending
Minimum age
At least 13; the age for use without parental approval may be higher in the user’s country.
Age check
The terms set the minimum age. This briefing does not establish that every contact undergoes identity or birthday verification.
Who can contact teens
People can connect using known phone numbers or usernames, depending on privacy settings. Message requests should be checked before sharing more information.
Disappearing content
Optional disappearing-message timers reduce ordinary retention but do not prevent copying or another camera recording the screen.
Public content
There is no ordinary public-feed model like Instagram. Group members and recipients can still see and share information sent to them.
Spending
Signal is free to use and supported by donations. A stranger asking for payment in a Signal chat is not an app fee or proof of legitimacy.
Store stats
By the numbers
US App Store
4.73 stars from 1,095,784 ratings, as of October 8, 2026. Apple listing (opens in new tab)
Google Play downloads
100M+ as of October 8, 2026. Google Play listing (opens in new tab)
Official controls
How to set them up
Review phone-number and request settings
Open Settings → Privacy → Phone Number to review who can see or find the number. Check message requests, blocking and safety numbers with trusted contacts. Use device app limits if needed; no linked-parent transcript tool is established here.
Official instructions → (opens in new tab)
Privacy
What gets shared
Phone-number visibility and discovery are separate settings. Usernames can reduce the need to give someone a phone number; existing contacts may already know it.
Safety
What parents should know
- Signal’s official guide recommends comparing safety numbers or confirming contacts through another channel.
- Privacy does not replace consent, judgment or a plan for unwanted contact. Disappearing messages should never be presented as a safe way to send intimate images.
Safeguards described here are reported by the company in its own materials (see Signal: official safety, eligibility or parent guidance (opens in new tab)). They are not independent safety guarantees, and Lowkey has not tested them.
Decoder
Slang you will hear
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Get the free weekly briefing.
One email a week — what you need to know about your teens world.
Your teen won’t explain it. We will.
Your email goes to Substack under its privacy policy. You may need to finish signup there. Subscribe directly on Substack.
Want more? Go paid: $9/month or $75/year.