Confide, makers of an app described as a secure messenger for business, raised $1.6 million in funding as it looks to enable users to “communicate digitally with the same level of privacy and security as the spoken word”.

The funds, which takes its total to $3.6 million, will be used to “accelerate our growth and take another meaningful step toward our goal”.

Messages sent using the app are encrypted and disappear forever once they are read. Confide says the app safeguards users from cyber risks and provides a secure and private way to communicate.

The company also announced it is launching message retraction, its first “premium feature”, which enables users to retract or “un-send” unread messages. Available on iOS and Android, message retraction is a subscription-based in-app purchase.

The app maker has expanded its offering since its launch to include text, photos and documents.

Confide is available in 15 languages across iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Mac and PC and is being used in more than 180 countries, the company said.

The $1.6 million seed extension was made up of existing investors including WGI Group, First Round Capital, SV Angel, CrunchFund and  Howard Lerman.