# Pigeon: Private Messenger — Encrypted Federated Messaging

> End-to-end encrypted mesh messenger for extreme privacy and security. (iPhone/iPad app by ISAIAH RUSSELL HARVILLE.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pigeon-private-messenger/id6780532820 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [ISAIAH RUSSELL HARVILLE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896058053)
- Category: Social Networking
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 6 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-08-05
- Data updated: 2026-08-23
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pigeon-private-messenger/id6780532820/reviews.md

## What is Pigeon?

Pigeon is an end-to-end encrypted mesh messaging app for iOS.

Pigeon's goal is extreme privacy and security across multiple delivery methods. The entire codebase is available on GitHub. Please note that Pigeon has not undergone an independent audit, but is built on top of an audited encryption library, vodozemac.

Peers can exchange messages locally over a Bluetooth Low Energy mesh, or use federated zero-knowledge relays when they are out of local range. 
Messages are end-to-end encrypted regardless of how they travel; no transport, relay, or mesh hop can read them.

## Key features

- End-to-end encryption
- Bluetooth Low Energy mesh
- Federated zero-knowledge relays
- Local message exchange
- Open-source codebase
- Extreme privacy focus


## Frequently asked questions about Pigeon

### What is Pigeon?

Pigeon is an end-to-end encrypted mesh messaging app designed for extreme privacy and security. It allows users to exchange messages locally via Bluetooth or through federated relays when out of range.

### Is Pigeon free to use?

Yes, Pigeon is completely free to download and use. It does not have any associated costs for its messaging features.

### Does Pigeon have ads?

No, Pigeon is ad-free. The app is designed with user privacy as a top priority and does not display advertisements.

### What devices does Pigeon support?

Pigeon is available for iOS devices, specifically the iPhone and iPad.

### How secure is Pigeon?

Pigeon offers end-to-end encryption for all messages, meaning only the sender and recipient can read them. It is built on the audited vodozemac encryption library.

### Can I use Pigeon offline?

Yes, Pigeon supports local message exchange over a Bluetooth Low Energy mesh, allowing you to communicate with nearby users even without an internet connection.

### What is the age rating for Pigeon?

Pigeon has an age rating of 17+, indicating it is intended for mature audiences due to its focus on privacy and security features.

### How often is Pigeon updated?

The latest version, 1.2.0, was released on August 22, 2026, indicating recent development activity. The app was initially released on August 5, 2026.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.2.0 — 2026-08-22

This version improves message reliability, storage safety, and relay compatibility.

What’s new:
• Messages are only confirmed after they have been safely saved.
• Storage problems are surfaced clearly instead of silently resetting app data.
• Incompatible relays are detected and excluded automatically.
• Diagnostics reveal less identifying information.
• General stability and build improvements.

Pigeon remains an early, pre-audit release and should not yet be treated as production-secure.

### 1.1 — 2026-08-06

IMPORTANT: Safety numbers have changed in this release. Every contact's
safety number is different from what it was in 1.0, so a number you
compared before will no longer match.

New
- Verified contacts now show a shield next to their name. A green
  checkmark shield means you compared safety numbers in person; an
  orange shield means you added them from a code shared some other way
  and haven't confirmed who they are yet. This is separate from the
  lock icon: every chat is end-to-end encrypted either way. The lock
  says your messages are private, the shield says you know who you're
  talking to.
- Relay settings has a "How to host a relay" button that opens the
  setup guide inside Pigeon. Relays are federated and anyone can run
  one, so your messages don't have to depend on someone else's server.
- Relays you add over plain ws:// instead of wss:// are now flagged.
  Your message content is end-to-end encrypted either way, but without
  TLS the connection details are visible to the network too.

Fixed
- Messages that arrived while your phone was locked could fail to save,
  and were lost when the app next launched. They're now stored
  correctly.
- Re-scanning someone's QR code no longer forgets the relay you picked
  for that conversation.
- A contact's name is now cleaned up before it's displayed, so a
  hostile code can't use hidden characters to make one contact appear
  to be another.

Pigeon is pre-release and has not been independently audited.

### 1.0 — 2026-08-05

No release notes.

## More apps by ISAIAH RUSSELL HARVILLE

- [InnerSwings](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/innerswings/id6765748736)
- [Lucerna: Bible Study Tools](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lucerna-bible-study-tools/id6785046767)

All apps by ISAIAH RUSSELL HARVILLE: https://appshunter.io/developer/1896058053

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-23.*