Private portal designed for everything important
Chats are social media. Documents have intent. But connected isn't controlled.
- Instant, real-time conversation with anyone
- Group chats that keep families, friends, and teams connected
- Quick resharing - photos, links, and files in one tap
- Rich social features - reactions, stories, voice notes
Chat apps are brilliant at this. We don't try to replace them.
- Documents that surface when they matter, not lost in threads
- Sharing built on invitation and mutual consent, not group access
- Controlled sharing with watermarks and full recall
- Incoming documents that never eat into your storage
A different job. One that social platforms were never designed for.
Two different jobs. One doesn't replace the other.
Here's where they differ on document sharing and security.
| For important documents... | ALPS | Chat appsChat |
|---|---|---|
| Documents surface proactively (expiry, renewal dates) | ||
| Recipient must consent before access | ||
| Sharing is 1-to-1 only, never group | ||
| Dynamic watermark on every view and download | ||
| Recall document from everyone's storage | Deletes message only | |
| Revoke access after sharing | ||
| Incoming shares don't use recipient's storage | ||
| UK-only data residency by default |
This comparison reflects the general capabilities of chat applications as a document-sharing method. It does not refer to any specific app or brand. Features may vary between providers. ALPS makes no claim about the specific functionality of any third-party product. Last reviewed: August 2026.
Four gaps. One solution.
Chat apps were built for conversation. These are the things they were never designed to do.
Important documents shouldn't live in a chat thread.
Chat apps are designed for the flow of conversation - messages scroll past, files get buried, and that tenancy agreement you shared six months ago is now hidden behind hundreds of messages and group photos. The search is removed entirely. Documents surface when they matter - a passport expiring, a certificate needed, a policy renewing. You don't scroll back to find them. They come to you.
Sharing should be deliberate, not social.
Group chats and easy resharing are what make chat apps great for staying connected. But that same openness is exactly wrong for important documents. One tap forwards your financial statement to an entire group. Everyone in the thread gets a copy, and you're never notified. Here, sharing is 1-to-1 by design. There are no groups, no channels, no threads. Both parties must consent before anything is exchanged, and either can revoke at any time.
Watermarked. Traceable. Recallable.
Chat apps let recipients save, screenshot, and forward files without any trace of origin - that's fine for memes and photos, but not for your driving licence. A dynamic watermark tied to the viewer is applied on every view and every download. And "delete for everyone" actually works here - one tap recalls the document from everyone's cloud storage across the sharing chain, not just the chat thread.
What others share with you shouldn't cost you space.
Chat apps download incoming files straight to your device - camera roll, downloads folder, file manager. Five people send you documents and your phone storage shrinks, even though you didn't ask for any of them. Here, incoming shares live in the sender's storage, not yours. You only pay for what you upload. That's our fair promise.
Chat isn't the only way people share documents.
See how ALPS compares to other common methods.
Built differently. On purpose.
What makes ALPS different
Documents find you
Important documents surface when they matter - before you even realise you need them.
Sharing is safe here
Every share is consensual, watermarked, and revocable. You choose who sees what.
UK-hosted & certified
Your data stays on UK infrastructure. GDPR compliant, ICO registered, Cyber Essentials certified.