creating an account means giving up your email, choosing a password, verifying your email, maybe linking your phone number. for a random video chat you might use once? that's too much.
here are apps that let you skip all that and just start talking.
no sign up required
tjub
tjub requires an account but keeps you anonymous to other users. your matches never see your real name or personal info. they just see a stranger.
when you close the app, conversations disappear. nobody can find or contact you outside the app unless you share your info.
account required, stays anonymouschatroulette
the original random chat. go to the website, allow camera access, you're in. no account, no download, nothing.
the trade-off is weak moderation. being completely anonymous makes it harder to ban bad actors.
web only, instantometv (web version)
the web version works without an account. just visit the site and start matching. the app wants a sign-in but you can use google or facebook instead of creating a new account.
web no signup, app needs loginwhy no sign up matters
privacy
no account means no data to leak. if a company gets hacked, your email isn't in their database because they never had it.
convenience
sometimes you just want to try something without commitment. sign up flows are friction that makes you less likely to even try.
less spam
no email = no marketing emails. ever signed up for something and then got weekly newsletters you never asked for?
easy to leave
don't like the app? just stop using it. no account to delete, no data deletion request, no "are you sure you want to leave" emails.
the trade-offs
no sign up isn't all positive. here's what you give up:
- no friends list. you can't save people you liked because there's no account to save them to.
- no preferences. your settings reset every time because there's nowhere to store them.
- harder moderation. when everyone's anonymous, banning bad users is less effective. they just come back.
- no premium purchases. some apps let you buy features but need an account to track what you bought.
apps that claim no sign up but actually need it
watch out for apps that say "no registration" but then:
- ask you to "sign in with google/facebook" - that's still creating an account
- let you browse but require login to actually chat
- work once then require registration to continue
true no sign up means you can use all core features indefinitely without ever entering personal information.
staying safe without an account
no account protects you from the platform. but you still need to protect yourself from other users:
- don't share identifying info. no name, no location, no workplace, no social media handles.
- check your background. nothing in frame that reveals where you are.
- use the report button. even without an account, you can (and should) report bad behavior.
the verdict
for random video chat, no sign up is ideal. you're talking to strangers anyway - why should the platform know who you are?
chatroulette is fully anonymous but the moderation suffers. tjub requires an account but keeps you anonymous to other users while having real moderation.
whichever you choose, don't give up your data unless you have to. for random chat, you don't have to.