Revolutionary offline messaging app by Jack Dorsey that works without internet using Bluetooth mesh networks
Bitchat is a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks. No internet required, no servers, no phone numbers. It's designed as "the side-groupchat" for seamless offline communication.
This innovative Bitchat application operates on automatic peer discovery and multi-hop message relay, making it perfect for scenarios where traditional internet-based messaging fails - from remote areas to emergency situations.
Servers Required
Pure P2P Mesh Network
Max Hops
TTL-based routing
Discover why Bitchat is revolutionizing decentralized communication
Automatic peer discovery and multi-hop message relay over Bluetooth LE with TTL-based routing (max 7 hops)
X25519 key exchange + AES-256-GCM for private messages, Argon2id + AES-256-GCM for channels, Ed25519 signatures
Topic-based group messaging with password protection, ownership transfer, and @ mentions with autocomplete
Messages cached for offline peers with automatic delivery when they reconnect to the Bitchat mesh
No accounts, no phone numbers, ephemeral by default, forward secrecy with new key pairs each session
Native support for iOS 16.0+, macOS 13.0+, with Android compatibility via platform-agnostic protocol
Automatic message compression for messages >100 bytes with 30-70% bandwidth savings on typical text
5-tier power management from performance mode (>60%) to ultra-low power (<10%) with duty cycling
Triple-tap the logo to instantly clear all data for emergency situations and privacy protection
Get Bitchat for your device and start decentralized messaging
Native iOS app with full Bluetooth mesh networking support. Compatible with iOS 16.0+ devices.
Universal iOS/macOS app
Optimized for iPhone & iPad
Background mesh networking
Android APK with full protocol compatibility. Direct download - no Google Play required.
Version 1.1.6 available
Cross-platform messaging
Same encryption & features
Bitchat is open source and released into the public domain. Build from source or contribute to the project.
Get started with Bitchat in just a few simple steps
Clone from GitHub and use XcodeGen: brew install xcodegen && xcodegen generate. For macOS, simply run just run to set up and run from source.
Launch Bitchat on your device, set your nickname (or use auto-generated), and you'll automatically connect to nearby peers via Bluetooth LE mesh.
Use /j #general to join channels, /channels to discover available channels, or start chatting in public local chat immediately.
Use /m @name message for private messages, /pass password to protect channels, and /block @name for user management. Messages relay through the mesh to reach distant peers.
/j #channel
Join or create channel
/m @name msg
Send private message
/w
List online users
/channels
Show discovered channels
/block @name
Block user from messaging
/unblock @name
Unblock a user
/clear
Clear chat messages
/pass [pwd]
Set channel password (owner)
/transfer @name
Transfer channel ownership
/save
Toggle message retention (owner)
@nickname
Mention users (autocomplete)
Triple-tap logo
Emergency data wipe
Frequently asked questions about Bitchat
Bitchat is a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks. It's described as "the side-groupchat" - no internet required, no servers, no phone numbers. The project is released into the public domain.
Bitchat uses a binary protocol optimized for Bluetooth LE with TTL-based message routing (max 7 hops). Each device acts as both client and peripheral with automatic peer discovery, message fragmentation, and deduplication via unique IDs.
Bitchat uses X25519 key exchange + AES-256-GCM for private messages, Argon2id + AES-256-GCM for channels, Ed25519 signatures, forward secrecy, cover traffic, and emergency wipe. Warning: Private features haven't been externally reviewed.
Bitchat is available for iOS (via direct download link) and Android (APK v1.1.6). Native support for iOS 16.0+ and macOS 13.0+. Android version offers full protocol compatibility with cross-platform messaging capabilities.
Bitchat features 5-tier adaptive power management: Performance mode (>60% battery), Balanced (30-60%), Power saver (<30%), Ultra-low power (<10%), plus background efficiency with configurable scanning duty cycles.
Bitchat uses LZ4 compression (30-70% bandwidth savings), optimized Bloom filters for duplicate detection, message aggregation, adaptive connection limits, and a compact binary protocol with 1-byte type fields.
Messages are ephemeral by default (exist only in device memory). Channel owners can enable optional message retention with /save. Store-and-forward caches messages for offline peers with automatic delivery on reconnection.
Bitchat is ideal for areas with poor internet connectivity, during network outages, in censorship scenarios, protests, emergency situations, or any time you need reliable offline communication.
Yes, Bitchat is completely open source and released into the public domain. This allows unlimited use, modification, and distribution. The code is available on GitHub for transparency and community contributions.
Bitchat is a work in progress with public local chat fully functional and secure. Private messaging and channel features are implemented but haven't received external security review. It's designed as a platform-agnostic protocol for future expansion.