10
years of Franz
10 Years of Franz
Still founder-led. Still building Franz like communication actually matters.
Franz started in Vienna in 2016 and turns 10 this year. Today Stefan Malzner still leads the product, focused on calmer communication, real privacy, and desktop software that earns trust the hard way.
A decade of shipping behind the promise.
Stefan Malzner
Founder of Franz
Built in Vienna, Austria
Trusted by teams at leading companies worldwide
1M+
downloads
Mac + Windows
with free multi-device use
Local / BYOK / EU Cloud
AI in your hands
Why Franz?
A serious product with a very human name.
Part of the name was a wink at Franz Joseph. If you are running an empire, you should probably get your communication under control first.
But the name stayed for a more personal reason too: Franz was Stefan's grandfather's name. That felt like a better foundation than another cold software brand.
Why people trust Franz
Being founder-led only works if the product feels reliable, honest, and alive. That means proving trust in the product itself, not just in the story.
Ten years is a long time on the internet
Franz has been around since 2016. Serious users do not build their workflow on products that disappear after one launch cycle.
The incentives are clear
Franz makes money from software, not surveillance. No ads, no data resale, no weird business model to decode.
Privacy shows up in the product
Privacy Shield blocks trackers. AI can run locally, with your own key, or in the EU with zero-retention cloud processing.
It is built for real work
Franz supports Mac and Windows, syncs across desktops, brings messaging into one place, and even gives Signal a proper native home.
The principles behind Franz
Less noise, more control, privacy built in, and AI on your terms.
Calm over chaos
Franz exists to reduce tool sprawl, tab overload, and message noise.
Privacy is a feature
Users should not have to trade focus for surveillance.
AI stays in your hands
Local AI, BYOK, or zero-retention EU cloud - the right level of control belongs to the user, not the vendor.
Software should earn its keep
Franz should earn its living by shipping useful software, not by extracting data.
Built to stay useful.
Franz has spent ten years getting sharper: messaging, email, AI, privacy, and workspaces in one desktop app that is meant to earn a permanent place in your day.