Beeper guide

Beeper On-Device vs Beeper Cloud - What's the difference?

On-Device Connection vs Cloud Connection:

Beeper lets you connect all your chat apps (think WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, and more) into one inbox. There are two ways to connect your chat accounts: On-device or Cloud.

An on-device connection means the chat account (like WhatsApp or Messenger) is connected only to the device you’re using to set it up, and is not shared across your other devices. For example, if you're setting up your WhatsApp account as an on-device connection on Android, it will not be shared to your Beeper desktop app and will remain only available on your Beeper Android app.

Your messages never leave your device.
Though chats aren't synced, if you connect the same on-device account on multiple Beeper apps, we sync chat states like archive, pinned, low priority, reminders etc.
No storage on Beeper servers.
It’s the most secure and private option available.

Think of it as a direct line between your chat app and your device. No middleman, no copies in the cloud.

This is different from a cloud connection, where the chat account is linked to your Beeper account itself. With a cloud connection, your messages appear on every device where you're logged in to Beeper — including iOS, Android, and desktop. It’s convenient, and your data passes through our servers securely.

Another key difference between the two, On-Device vs. Cloud, is that the On-Device connection supports multi-account; Beeper Cloud connections only support one account per chat network at a time.

Chat networks that are only supported via Beeper Cloud

Currently, Beeper only supports these chat networks via the cloud connection. Hence, you will only be able to connect one account per network at a time.

Google Messages
Google Chat
Line
Discord
Slack

How to Add an On-Device Chat Network Account

To connect a chat app using an on-device connection:

Open the Beeper app on the device you want to connect.
Go to Settings > Chat Accounts.
Select Add an account.
Scroll over to the On-device list.
Find the chat app you want to connect (e.g. WhatsApp, Messenger) and click ‘Connect’ beside it.
Follow the on-screen steps to finish setup.

Once connected, the chat will only work on this specific device.

Should I Use On-Device or Cloud?

This question really boils down to preference. Here's what we recommend:

Situation	On-Device	Cloud
You want the most secure setup for your messaging needs	✅	❌
You only use Beeper on one device	✅	✅
You want your chats on every device with minimal setup	❌	✅
You prefer keeping chat data tied to a single device	✅	❌
You want no data stored on servers	✅	❌
You want to connect multiple accounts per chat network	✅	❌

💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can I switch an on-device connection to a cloud connection later?
- There is no instant way to toggle a connection from on-device to cloud, but you can manually remove the on-device connection and reconnect it as a cloud connection, but setup steps may vary depending on the app.
Can I use both cloud and on-device chat accounts at the same time?
- Yes — some users choose to connect different accounts in different ways, depending on their privacy preferences or how many devices they use.
Which option is more private?
- Both are secure. However, on-device connections offer an added layer of privacy since nothing is stored on Beeper servers. Messages are only handled by your device and the original chat service. That said, Beeper Cloud is built with strong encryption and privacy in mind.
What happens if I log out of my device?
- On-device connections get deleted when you log out of your device. Cloud connections remain on the account even if you log out.
What is the battery consumption difference between On-Device (Local) connections vs Cloud connections?
- Even though Local bridging requires Beeper to have unrestricted battery and data access, since the Beeper app handles everything directly, the actual battery consumption is roughly the same between the two.
Can I connect multiple accounts per chat network to Beeper?
- Yes, you can connect multiple accounts per chat network to Beeper via the On-Device connection. Beeper Cloud connection doesn't support multi-account at the moment.
How can I tell which connection I'm using?
- To see which one you have, you can go to Settings > Accounts > find the account from the list and check which icon is showing beside it. If it shows a cloud icon, then you are using a cloud connection. If you are seeing a computer icon (for Beeper desktop) or a mobile device icon, then you are using an on-device connection.

Need help deciding or having trouble connecting? Contact Beeper Support — we’re here to help.