Your Data Is Yours

Better Messages stores all messaging data exclusively in your WordPress database. The WebSocket relay only routes encrypted events to facilitate real-time delivery — no message content, no user data, no conversation history is retained on the relay infrastructure. You maintain full ownership and control of every byte.

WebSocket version

Data ownership is preserved even when using the WebSocket-version cloud relay. The cloud is a router, not a database.

What it adds#

All messages stored in your WordPress database only — no external data store
No message content ever stored on WebSocket servers
Only encrypted routing data (user IDs, thread IDs, delivery statuses) temporarily processed
Zero retention on relay infrastructure — events are forwarded then discarded
Full data portability — export, backup, migrate via standard WordPress tools
GDPR data sovereignty compliance built-in

Data location matrix#

Data type	Location
Message content (text, formatting)	Your WordPress database (`bm_messages` table)
Attachments / files	Your WordPress media library (uploads folder)
User profiles	Your WordPress `wp_users` + custom fields
Conversation metadata (participants, subjects, timestamps)	Your WordPress database
Reactions, mentions, pinned messages	Your WordPress database
Read receipts, delivery statuses	Your WordPress database
Routing data on relay	Transient memory only — discarded after forwarding
AI bot conversation content	Routed through AI provider (OpenAI / Anthropic / Google) per their terms

How it works#

When a message is sent:

Browser → your WordPress server: the message text and metadata
Your server: stores the message in the database, then encrypts a routing payload
Your server → WebSocket relay: pushes the encrypted payload with routing info (user IDs, thread ID)
Relay → all participants' browsers: forwards the encrypted payload
Relay: discards the payload after forwarding — no retention
Recipient browsers: decrypt and render the message

The relay is stateless for message content — it has no persistent storage of what flows through it.

When data ownership matters most#

Use case	Why it matters
GDPR / DSAR requests	You can export and erase data without involving third parties
Site migration	Standard WordPress backup/restore preserves all chat history
Compliance audits	Single point of data residence is auditable
Self-hosted requirements	Combine with the self-hosted plan for full sovereignty
Data residency rules	Data stays in your hosting's region (the relay routes ephemeral packets only)

Frequently asked questions#

What if the WebSocket relay is breached?#

A breach of the relay would expose only currently-in-transit encrypted packets (which would still need AES-256 to decrypt) and routing metadata (user IDs, thread IDs). Historical messages, profiles, and attachments are not at risk — they're on your server.

Can I migrate away from Better Messages and keep my data?#

Yes — all data is in standard WordPress tables. Export via WordPress's built-in tools or directly from the database. The plugin doesn't lock you in.

What about voice / video calls?#

Call metadata (participants, duration, started time) is stored in your WordPress database. The actual audio/video streams flow peer-to-peer (for 1-on-1) or through the media server (for groups) — never stored anywhere.

Does AI bot content stay in my database?#

The AI conversation itself (user message + bot response) is stored in your database like any conversation. But the user's message is also sent to the AI provider's API (OpenAI / Anthropic / Google) to generate the response — that's a one-time transit, subject to the AI provider's terms.

How does the self-hosted plan differ?#

The self-hosted plan moves the WebSocket relay onto infrastructure you control. The data ownership pattern is the same (data stays in your DB), but the relay infrastructure also stays on your servers — useful for very strict data-sovereignty requirements.