Chatgram is a messaging app for Android, Windows and the web. It was built in Rwanda for people who want a straightforward chat app that speaks their language and runs on the phone they already own. This page explains what Chatgram does today, which platforms it supports, what it costs and what is still missing.
What Chatgram is
Chatgram is a single app with one account that works across three platforms: an Android app you install from an APK, a Windows desktop app you install from an installer, and a web app that runs in the browser with nothing to install. Sign in with the same email on each device and your chats, groups and status updates are already there.
It is not a social network. There is no feed, no follower count and no public profile to maintain. You talk to people you know, one at a time or in a group, and the conversations stay between you and them.
Who it is for
Chatgram is made for everyday use in Rwanda and the wider East African region: phones with limited storage, data bundles that have to last the month, and conversations that mix Kinyarwanda, French, Swahili and English in the same group.
Because of that, the app is small, the interface runs in all four languages, and the Android build is under two megabytes. It works on Android 7.0 and newer, which covers the phones most people actually carry.
What you can do today
- Direct chats and group chats with the usual replies, forwarding, editing and deletion.
- Voice notes with a waveform, pause and resume, and playback speed of 1.5x or 2x.
- Voice and video calls, including group calls with up to 12 people and video for the first six.
- 24-hour status updates that disappear on their own.
- Chatgram AI, an assistant that answers questions and helps with writing in English, Kinyarwanda, French and Swahili. In a group you mention @Chatgram AI to include it.
- Dark mode, four interface languages, notifications on Android through Firebase Cloud Messaging, and tray notifications on Windows.
What Chatgram does not do yet
Chatgram is honest about its limits, because you should know them before you type something private.
Messages are encrypted in transit with HTTPS and WSS, and they are stored on the server, which means the server can read them. End-to-end encryption, where only the two devices can read a message, is not implemented yet. The Windows installer is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen shows a warning the first time you run it. The Android app is distributed as an APK rather than through Google Play.
None of that makes Chatgram unusable, but none of it should be hidden from you either. If something matters, treat Chatgram the way you would treat any chat service that does not yet offer end-to-end encryption.
How to get Chatgram
Download the Android APK and follow the install steps in the Android download and install guide. For Windows, the Windows download and SmartScreen guide walks through the warning you will see the first time.
If you only want to try it, open the web app in your browser. It is the same service with no install step. The how to use Chatgram guide covers accounts, contacts, groups, statuses and Chatgram AI in more detail.
Common questions
Is Chatgram made in Rwanda?
Chatgram is built in Rwanda and designed for people in Rwanda and the wider East African region. Its interface and its AI assistant work in English, Kinyarwanda, French and Swahili.
Which devices does Chatgram run on?
Android 7.0 and newer through the APK, Windows 10 or newer 64-bit through the installer, and any modern browser through the web app. One account works on all three.
Is Chatgram the same as the web app?
Yes. The Android app, the Windows app and the web app are one service with the same account and the same chats. Choose whichever fits the device you are holding.