Hasura
Signal
| Feature | Hasura | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $99/mo | Free only |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | backend-developers, startups, api-developers, full-stack-teams | privacy-advocates, journalists, activists, security-conscious-users |
| Founded | 2017 | 2014 |
| Graphql Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rest Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Real Time | ✓ | ✗ |
| Authorization | ✓ | ✗ |
| Event Triggers | ✓ | ✗ |
| Remote Schemas | ✓ | ✗ |
| End To End Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Group Chats | ✗ | ✓ |
| Voice Calls | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Calls | ✗ | ✓ |
| Disappearing Messages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Screen Security | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Hasura Pros
- Instant APIs
- Real-time subscriptions
- Great developer experience
- Performance
✗ Hasura Cons
- PostgreSQL-focused
- Complex authorization
- Pricing changes
✓ Signal Pros
- Industry-leading encryption
- Completely free and open-source
- No ads or data collection
- Cross-platform support
✗ Signal Cons
- Smaller user base than WhatsApp
- Limited business features
- No channels or bots
The Verdict
Hasura is built for backend developers and startups, with a focus on graphql-api and rest-api. Signal targets privacy advocates and journalists and leads with end-to-end-encryption and group-chats.
Signal uses custom enterprise pricing, while Hasura starts at $99/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.