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iMessage vs nilly: Which Secures Business Chats Best?

Explore how US-based iMessage and EU's nilly prioritize business communication security. Discover the key differences today.

Last updated: February 2, 2026โ€ขReviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to nilly?

What You Gain

Enhanced privacy and data protection with nilly.

Privacy advantage
Trade-offs

Fewer messaging features and integrations compared to iMessage.

iMessage has more features
Bottom Line

Switch to nilly for better privacy if features are less critical.

At a Glance

Data Location
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธUS

US data laws

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEU

GDPR protected

Pricing

iMessage

Contact

nilly

freemium

Migration
Medium difficulty~1-2 hours

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

CriteriaiMessagenilly
Server Location
USUnknown
GDPR Compliance
Partial (SCCs)Unknown
Open Source
E2E Encryption
Unknown
Data Portability
LimitedUnknown

CLOUD Act Notice

iMessage is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. nilly is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from
iMessage logo

iMessage

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

Apple

VS
Switching to
N

nilly

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

EU-hosted
GDPR Compliant
Swiss hosted

Reasons to Switch

  • โœ“nilly is based in Switzerland, benefiting from strong privacy laws.
  • โœ“Data is EU-hosted, ensuring compliance with GDPR regulations.
  • โœ“Focus on privacy-first messaging may reduce data tracking risks.
  • โœ“Potential for enhanced anonymity compared to Apple's data policies.

Things to Consider

  • !Missing iMessage features like read receipts and message effects.
  • !Limited user base may hinder group chats and media sharing.
  • !Migration from iMessage could involve losing message history.
Migration difficulty:
Medium
~1-2 hours

Migration Overview

Full guide
Difficulty
Medium
Time Estimate
~1-2 hours

Depends on data size and complexity

Quick Steps

1

Create nilly account and configure settings

2

Export and prepare data from iMessage

3

Import data, test integrations, and migrate users

Note: Nilly is a privacy-first messaging app from Switzerland, offering a secure communication platform.

Other alternatives to iMessage

Ready to make the switch?

Start using nilly today and take control of your data privacy.