Raising Is Signal safe for kids? What parents should know
Is Signal safe for kids? Apple's App Store rates Signal 13+, citing infrequent profanity and mature themes, and lists messaging and chat; Google Play rates it Everyone. Signal's own terms say users must be at least 13. It's a messaging and calling app built around privacy, and messages can be set to disappear. We found no built-in parental controls in its store listings.
Signal at a glance
- ✓Official rating above age 7
App Store: 13+ - ✓Contact with other players or strangers
Messaging and chat - ✓Purchases with real money
Signal Secure Backups $1.99 - –Paid random items
None found - –Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
No violence or horror listed - –Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
None found
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Encrypted messaging and calling app by the nonprofit Signal Foundation |
|---|---|
| App Store (iOS) | 13+ — infrequent profanity, mature or suggestive themes; contains messaging and chat source |
| Google Play | Everyone — Users Interact, Shares Location source |
| Minimum age | Signal's terms: you must be at least 13 years old to use it source |
| Purchases | Signal Secure Backups, $1.99 in the App Store source |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Signal?
Short answer: A messaging and calling app focused on privacy.
Messages and calls are encrypted, and chats can be set to disappear after a set time. It's run by the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit.
Is Signal safe for kids? The facts
Short answer: It's rated 13+, and its terms require users to be at least 13.
- Rating: App Store 13+, with infrequent profanity, mature or suggestive themes, and medical information; Google Play Everyone.
- Contact: messaging, voice and video calls, and group chats.
- Parental controls: we found none listed in its store pages.
- Purchases: Signal Secure Backups for $1.99 in the App Store.
We found no government action against Signal over children.
The habit kids may copy: the message that disappears
A message set to disappear can feel like it doesn't count. It still reaches the person who reads it.
Try tonight: say it, then think
Play a slow-motion game: before answering a question, count to three on your fingers. Ask your child: "Is that what I want to say?" Then swap roles. In our program, this is the lesson "Wisdom": thinking before deciding.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What age is Signal for?
Signal's terms say users must be at least 13, and Apple's App Store rates it 13+. The minimum age without parental approval may be higher in your home country.
Does Signal have parental controls?
We found no built-in parental controls listed in its App Store or Google Play pages.
Do Signal messages disappear?
They can: chats can be set to delete messages after a chosen time.
Is Signal free?
Yes, with an optional paid backup plan for $1.99 in the App Store.
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