Apple App Store
BitChat for iOS
- Minimum OS
- iOS 16.0+
- Released
- Oct 23, 2026
Public App Store builds are the normal installation path. TestFlight is optional beta access, not required for the current public release.
Independent download & verification guide
Download BitChat from a source you can verify
Current iOS and Android versions, official store links, release notes, and a plain-language guide to what works offline.
iOS 1.8.0 Android 2.1.0 Checked Oct 27, 2026
Verify the developer and package name before installing.
Official distribution
Choose your platform
We link to the stores and repositories controlled by the BitChat project. This site does not re-host an APK.
v1.8.0
Google Play / GitHub
BitChat for Android
- Package
- com.bitchat.droid
- Released
- Oct 26, 2026
Use Google Play when available. For sideloading, use only APK assets on the official GitHub release page and compare the published digest.
How “current” is checked: a Cloudflare Worker runs daily at 08:00 Beijing time, reads both official GitHub release feeds and attempts an Apple public-listing cross-check, then writes a timestamped snapshot to Workers KV. This page is showing that live KV snapshot; Apple blocked the latest automated lookup, so the iOS version came from the official GitHub release feed.
View machine-readable status.
What works offline
Bluetooth mesh and internet features are different paths
Nearby mesh
Nearby devices discover and relay public chat over Bluetooth. No Wi-Fi or mobile data is required for this local path, but actual range and reliability depend on hardware, obstacles, permissions, and the number of participating devices.
Internet-assisted features
Current BitChat versions can also include internet-based capabilities such as Nostr-backed private messaging. Those features need connectivity and should not be described as “fully offline.” Check the official platform README for the exact behavior of your release.
Security status
Treat BitChat as experimental software
Open source makes inspection possible; it does not by itself prove that an app or cryptographic design is safe. Before sensitive use, read the project’s current notices, inspect the exact release you install, and keep a separate fallback communication plan.
- • Install only from the official stores or project repositories.
- • Confirm the Android package is
com.bitchat.droid. - • Review release notes for security-relevant changes before updating.
- • Do not infer anonymity or audit status from marketing language.
Latest release summaries
What changed in the versions shown above
iOS 1.8.0
bitchat 1.8.0 makes busy location channels fast. It also collects the features and security hardening that landed since 1.7.1. Performance Busy geochats are fast again. In a room of 100 people, the people list opens in about 60 ms (it took 1.5 s) and stays at 60 fps. At 300 people it opens in about 180 ms (it took 4–12 s) ( 1788 ). Presence traffic no longer rebuilds the roster on every event. The timeline at 300 people goes from 3.5–7 dropped frames per second to none ( 1789 ). The timeline no longer fights you. It no longer snaps back while you scroll during a burst. It no longer cascades to
Read official release notes →Android 2.1.0
Bitchat Android v2.1.0 Highlights Spam filtering for public mesh and geohash chats, enabled by default. Phone users can disable it in settings. More reliable geohash participant lists, nicknames and blocking, including removal of blocked users' messages. Corrected Cashu ecash amount formatting for fiat denominated tokens. Clearer light mode voice note waveforms, improved onboarding layouts and consistent QR scan controls. Basque language support and spam filter translations. Improved incoming message autoscroll and verification sheet layering. QR scanner initialization fixes for minified relea
Read official release notes →Detected version changes
- android: 2.0.3 → 2.1.0, detected Oct 27, 2026
- ios: 1.7.1 → 1.8.0, detected Oct 25, 2026
- android: 2.0.2-wear.0.1.4 → 2.0.3, detected Oct 23, 2026
- android: 2.0.2-wear.0.1.3 → 2.0.2-wear.0.1.4, detected Oct 7, 2026
- android: 2.0.2 → 2.0.2-wear.0.1.3, detected Sep 8, 2026
- android: 2.0.1 → 2.0.2, detected Aug 31, 2026
FAQ
Common questions
Is this the official BitChat website?
No. Bit-chat.xyz is an independent community guide. The project’s official website is bitchat.free.
What are the current BitChat versions?
As last checked on Oct 27, 2026, the public iOS version is 1.8.0 and the latest official Android release is 2.1.0. The timestamp and source URLs are available in the status JSON.
Does BitChat work without internet?
Nearby public chat can use Bluetooth mesh without internet. Internet-relay features are unavailable when fully offline, and Bluetooth performance varies by environment.
Should I use it for highly sensitive communication?
Treat it as experimental software. Review the current security notices and exact release in the official repositories before relying on it, and keep another communication method available.