For press and reviewers
The questions you were going to ask anyway
Straight answers about the self-hosted native product, updated 16 October 2026. No-number sign-up and end-to-end encryption, with metadata and device limits stated plainly.
Do I need an email address or phone number?
No. You tap Create a new identity. Vardum makes 24 random words on your phone and derives your identity and a hidden sign-in from them. The words are the only recovery path.
Who runs the relay, and what can it see?
Vardum owns and operates its relay server. It stores and routes ciphertext; content keys stay on phones. It can see routing metadata, the sign-in label, sizes and timing, and IP addresses as requests arrive, which it stores only as a daily one-way code. We make no claim of no logs or no metadata. Who can see what
What is the security-review status?
The cryptography is self-reviewed. An independent cryptographic audit is planned for early 2027. The code is public under AGPL-3.0, and the claims register separates what's implemented, what's new, and what isn't claimed.
How do message lifetimes and cleanup work?
Two separate dials: burn after opening, 5 minutes to 24 hours after the person opens the message; and unopened messages, which expire 12, 24, 36 or 48 hours after sending, with a separate 30-day forum tier. A background download doesn't start the burn clock. The relay sweeps expired ciphertext and dead sessions every 2 minutes.
What are the media and group limits?
Media is capped at 25 MB per file. Groups support up to 100 members, including the creator. Group keys rotate at the creator's choice, plus automatically at 100 messages or every 24 hours.
What could you hand over if lawfully compelled?
Only what the service holds: the sign-in label, public routing material, timestamps, sizes, operational records and ciphertext. Message, media, note and vault plaintext, content keys and 24-word phrases are not held by the operator.
Does Vardum offer internet calling?
Not yet. Calls work on the same network only; internet calling is on the roadmap.
How much does it cost?
Free during the TestFlight beta. At launch, a one-off payment of A$14.99.
What do others do better than Vardum?
On messaging alone, SimpleX and Signal score above Vardum in our own comparison: they have independent reviews and years of public scrutiny, and they've earned it. Vardum offers a different set of controls: one-step sign-up with no phone number or email, a disposable 24-word identity, burn after opening, hold-until-unlock, decoy and duress passwords, vaults and notes. These differences aren't proof of universal security superiority. See the comparison
Press, partnerships and investor enquiries: matt@tryveil.app · Beta and user support: support@tryveil.app