Wire
Wire is a European secure-collaboration company providing end-to-end encrypted messaging, conferencing, and file-sharing for governments, critical-infrastructure operators, and regulated enterprises across 1,800+ organisations. It monetises through tiered SaaS subscriptions, sells direct and via VAR/MSSI/GSI partners, and is majority-owned by European institutional investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersZug, Switzerland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Wire does
Wire is a European secure-collaboration company founded in 2012, headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with primary R&D operations in Berlin, Germany. The company builds an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging and collaboration platform covering messaging, audio/video conferencing, file sharing, and screen sharing, with deployment options across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments. Its underlying protocol, Messaging Layer Security (MLS), was co-initiated by Wire and adopted as an IETF standard, providing quantum-resistant encryption; the entire codebase is open-sourced on GitHub. The platform is certified for VS-NfD (Classified for Official Use Only) communication in German government environments and is structured to meet NIS2, GDPR, and Swiss FADP requirements, positioning Wire as a sovereign alternative to US-headquartered collaboration tools.
Wire monetises through a tiered SaaS subscription model: a free tier for teams up to five users, an SMB tier at €7.45 per user per month (annual) for organisations up to 100 users, and a custom-priced enterprise tier for organisations over 100 users that adds federation, ID Shield, on-premises deployment, data sovereignty, and premium support. Wire Drive is sold as an add-on for secure file collaboration. Distribution runs through three channels — self-serve product-led growth for SMBs, direct enterprise field sales, and a tiered partner program for VARs, MSSPs, and GSIs. Revenue doubled year-over-year as of January 2026, the customer base spans 1,800+ organisations across government, critical infrastructure, regulated enterprises, and NGOs, and the company is majority-owned by European institutional investors (over 90% of shares).
In January 2025, Wire acquired Pydio and integrated its technology into a new product, Wire Cells, expanding the platform from messaging into full document collaboration. The company has raised €53 million in total funding, the most recent round being a €24 million Series C in August 2022 led by Cipio Partners and Iconical (Janus Friis's investment vehicle), with UVC Partners participating. Headcount sits at 51–100 employees, with leadership under CEO Benjamin Schilz (appointed January 2024), CTO Adam Low, and CCO Oliver Brown.
Wire firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wire
- Legal name
- Wire Swiss GmbH
- Website
- https://wire.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wire is a European secure-collaboration company providing end-to-end encrypted messaging, conferencing, and file-sharing for governments, critical-infrastructure operators, and regulated enterprises across 1,800+ organisations. It monetises through tiered SaaS subscriptions, sells direct and via VAR/MSSI/GSI partners, and is majority-owned by European institutional investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wire industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secure Enterprise Messaging
- NAICS
- All Other Telecommunications (5178)
- SIC
- Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Secure/Encrypted Messaging (BPAMACAG)
Keywords
Where Wire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zug
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Wire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription SaaS: Wire generates recurring revenue through tiered subscription plans: Wire Free (free), Wire for SMB (€7.45/person/month annual or €8.94 monthly), Wire for Enterprise (custom pricing), and Wire Drive add-on. Revenue doubled year-over-year as of January 2026.
- Partner Program Revenue: Wire sells through a channel partner network including VARs, MSSPs, and GSIs who resell licenses. Partners receive tiered discounts and margins on registered deals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | Free tier for small teams up to 5 persons with basic collaboration features |
| Per seat | Monthly | €7.45/person/month annual or €8.94/monthly for teams up to 100 persons |
| Subscription | Annual | Custom pricing for organizations over 100 persons |
| Subscription | Annual | 40% discount for non-profit organizations |
| Subscription | Annual | Add-on storage and collaboration feature for Wire Messenger subscribers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Wire product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wire provides an end-to-end encrypted collaboration platform offering secure messaging, voice and video calling, conferencing, and file sharing for organizations. The platform is built on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol for quantum-resistant encryption, supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployments, and includes tiered offerings for SMB (€7.45/person/month), Enterprise (custom pricing with SSO, SCIM, federation, ID Shield), and Government customers (VS-NfD certified, on-premises deployment). Wire serves over 1,800 organizations worldwide including governments (BSI, US Air Force, European Commission), critical infrastructure operators (Schwarz Gruppe, BMW Group, Exxon), and humanitarian organizations (Médecins Sans Frontières).
Product overview
Wire is a Berlin-based secure collaboration company offering a unified, end-to-end encrypted communication platform for organizations. The core product, Wire Messenger, provides messaging, calls, video conferencing, and file sharing with tiered offerings for SMB (Wire for SMB), Enterprise (Wire for Enterprise with SSO, SCIM, federation, ID-Shield), and Government (Wire for Government with data sovereignty and on-premises deployment). Wire Drive offers secure file storage as an add-on, while Wire Cells represents the next-generation collaboration product combining Pydio's workspace capabilities with Wire's secure messaging. The platform supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment options, is built on open-source principles, and is trusted by 1,800+ organizations worldwide including governments and critical infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wire Cells: A new collaboration product combining Pydio's workspace solution with Wire's built-in security features for chat, video calls, and document collaboration.
- Pydio Cells
- Wire for Enterprise
- Wire for SMB
- Wire Bund
Products and services
- Wire Messenger Wire's flagship end-to-end encrypted messaging platform providing secure messaging, voice and video calling (up to 150 participants), conferencing, file sharing, and screen sharing for organizations. Includes multi-device support for up to 8 devices, large chat groups up to 2,000 participants with MLS enabled, self-destructing messages, guest links, SSO/SCIM integration in paid tiers, federation, and ID Shield. Trusted by governments, critical infrastructure, and 1,800+ organizations worldwide.
- Wire Cells Next-generation collaboration product combining Pydio's workspace solution with Wire's built-in security features for chat, video calls, and document collaboration. Provides secure team collaboration with file sharing, granular permissions, and compliance-ready security.
- Pydio Cells Secure, self-hosted file sharing and collaboration platform for enterprises acquired by Wire, providing full data control with flexible deployment, granular permissions, and compliance-ready security. Enables organizations to upload, store, organize, search, version, and share digital assets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Revenue doubled year-over-year (as of January 2026)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wire
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Wire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature7 records
Wire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PydiocoreWire completed the acquisition of Pydio in January 2025, integrating its technology to create Wire Cells—a new collaboration product combining Pydio's workspace solution with Wire's security features for chat, video calls, and document collaboration. Alpha version launched Q1 2025.
- EBContminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program. European IT services company specializing in enterprise integration and collaboration solutions.
- ApostrophminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program. Swiss-based IT services company.
- SoftwareONEminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program. Global software and cloud services provider.
- CloudTempleminorPartner in the Wire Partner Program and customer of Wire. French cloud services provider specializing in secure cloud solutions.
- XMAminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program. UK-based technology solutions provider.
- NetNodeminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program.
- StackitminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program. German cloud services provider.
- Agilimo ConsultingminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program. Consulting firm specializing in secure communications.
- EMAminorValue-added reseller partner in the Wire Partner Program.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Signal: Open-source end-to-end encrypted messaging platform founded by Whisper Systems. Directly comparable to Wire on the core E2EE messaging primitive, but consumer-first and lacking Wire's enterprise admin controls, VS-NfD certification, and federation capabilities.
- Threema: Swiss-based secure messaging provider offering E2EE messaging, voice, and file sharing for consumers, business, and government. Closest direct competitor to Wire in the European sovereign secure-messaging category, including Threema Work with similar enterprise tiering.
- Element (Matrix): Open-source federated secure messaging built on the Matrix protocol with end-to-end encryption. Comparable to Wire on architecture (federation, on-premises, open source) and government/regulated enterprise targets, including deployments for the French government and Bundeswehr.
- Wickr (Amazon): End-to-end encrypted messaging and collaboration platform acquired by AWS. Competes with Wire in defense, government, and enterprise secure communications, though AWS ownership is a counterpoint to Wire's European sovereignty narrative.
- Symphony Communication Services: Enterprise secure messaging and collaboration platform purpose-built for regulated industries, particularly financial services. Comparable to Wire's enterprise/government positioning with E2EE, compliance, and federation, but with a Wall Street and finance vertical focus.
Emerging players
- Zivver: European secure email and messaging platform for healthcare, finance, and public sector. Overlaps with Wire on encrypted collaboration and compliance positioning, and shares former Wire CTO Adam Low, suggesting close product DNA.
- CellTrust: Enterprise secure messaging and mobile communication archiving platform targeting regulated industries. Comparable to Wire's enterprise secure collaboration with a stronger focus on compliance archiving and financial services verticals.
- Telegram: Globally popular messaging platform with optional E2EE Secret Chats. Competes with Wire in messaging-adjacent use cases though Telegram is consumer-led and lacks Wire's enterprise admin controls, VS-NfD certification, and on-premises deployment.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Teams: Dominant enterprise collaboration platform bundled into Microsoft 365. Wire explicitly positions against Teams for security-first buyers; Teams' scale, distribution, and recent E2EE additions make it the largest incumbent threat to Wire's enterprise pipeline.
- Slack (Salesforce): Widely deployed enterprise team messaging platform under Salesforce. Wire markets itself as a secure alternative to Slack for regulated industries, making Slack a broad incumbent competitor for the same enterprise IT budget.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wire social profiles
Digital presenceWire compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Wire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Wire subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Wire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wire
What does Wire do?
Wire provides an end-to-end encrypted collaboration platform offering secure messaging, voice and video calling, conferencing, and file sharing for organizations. The platform is built on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol for quantum-resistant encryption, supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployments, and includes tiered offerings for SMB (€7.45/person/month), Enterprise (custom pricing with SSO, SCIM, federation, ID Shield), and Government customers (VS-NfD certified, on-premises deployment). Wire serves over 1,800 organizations worldwide including governments (BSI, US Air Force, European Commission), critical infrastructure operators (Schwarz Gruppe, BMW Group, Exxon), and humanitarian organizations (Médecins Sans Frontières).
Is Wire a public or private company?
Wire is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Wire founded?
Wire was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wire based?
Wire is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Wire make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Subscription SaaS are the primary driver. The others are partner Program Revenue.
Who are Wire's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Signal, Threema, Element (Matrix), Wickr (Amazon) and Symphony Communication Services. Emerging players are Zivver, CellTrust and Telegram. Broad incumbents are Microsoft Teams and Slack (Salesforce).
Does Wire have an API?
Yes. Wire offers an Integrations SDK that enables developers to build extensions, automations, and custom solutions within the Wire platform. The SDK supports creating partner-built applications and integrations for the Wire marketplace. Wire also operates an Integrations Marketplace with a Lighthouse Program for early partner access to SDK and marketplace features. Developer documentation is at docs.wire.com/latest/index.html.
What industry is Wire in?
Wire's product category is Secure Enterprise Messaging. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMACAG, Secure/Encrypted Messaging. Its NAICS code is 5178 and its SIC code is 4899.