WhatsApp Rival Bitchat Enables Chat Without Internet, Saves Memory
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — A rival messaging application to WhatsApp that can be used without an internet connection has captured public attention. The app, named Bitchat, is the work of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and was introduced in mid-2025.
Bitchat enables users to send messages without requiring a mobile data package or a WiFi connection. The app is now widely available and can be downloaded directly from the Apple App Store, including by users in Indonesia.
The Bitchat app is remarkably compact in size, at roughly 11-12 MB. It can be accessed by devices running iOS 16, macOS 13.0, and the range of Macs powered by the Apple M1 chip or newer.
In its App Store description, Jack Dorsey emphasised that users need not enter personal data such as a phone number or email address to start communicating. In addition, message security is claimed to be guaranteed through encryption technology.
“Talk to the people around you. No phone number or email needed. A sidegroupchat for whatever purpose. Uses Bluetooth mesh, no internet required. Relay messages over long distances! Private, encrypted messages,” Dorsey wrote.
Bluetooth Mesh Technology
Unlike popular instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which rely heavily on internet quota or WiFi networks, Bitchat adopts a Bluetooth mesh network concept.
The mesh network system works by connecting devices locally until they form communication clusters. In this way, sent messages can “hop” or move from one device to another. This mechanism automatically extends the communication coverage area without any internet infrastructure whatsoever.
This internet-free communication concept is considered suitable for use in areas without signal (blank spots), disaster zones, and situations where internet access is restricted or blocked. The concept is similar to Bluetooth-based messaging apps that were once widely used by protesters in Hong Kong in 2019.
Before its official general release on the Apple App Store, Bitchat was tested on a limited basis through the TestFlight programme for iOS users. Its technical documentation and source code have also been uploaded to the GitHub platform.