# Semaphor — user reviews > 13 indexed App Store user reviews of Semaphor by SpiderOak, Inc., rated 3.50/5 from 15 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/semaphor/id1093566063/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/semaphor/id1093566063.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 6 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 3 ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Bad on notification *2021-03-18* You don't even know you have a message unless you actively check the app. There's no badge or anything unless you happen to be staring at your screen when it comes through. It's pointless to send feedback to the developers because they don't follow-up. This app hasn't even been updated in over 2 years!! ### 1/5 — Appreciate that they tried, but *2020-06-08* Was the interface written and never tested? Or was the intent that it not work? Perhaps it secretly implants a virus or trojan??? Tried to invite a new person to get the app and use it with me. Couldn’t write the message because the text composing box was off-screen in both the vertical and the horizontal orientations. Even though I could type stuff in, I couldn’t send a message because the SEND button was also below the bottom edge of the screen. If an apparently reputable company such as Spideroak makes an app with such glaring blunders (as basic unusability) you have to wonder about their motivations. Hey, y’all, listening? Fix it and get back to me, k? It’s: 2020.06.08 FFS! How could you do so badly? Who would trust anything else you do — I would not.... ### 1/5 — iPhone X Support *2019-03-10* The screen isn't designed for the iPhone X line of phones. Not really a fan of the UI either, but I can't begin to see the usefulness when the app is letterboxed. ### 1/5 — Terrible start *2016-07-03* I love Spideroak but this app is just bad. First off, it's iPhone only. It looks horrible on the iPad. Second, the icons look as though zero effort were put into their design, as pixel-icons on a 2x zoomed screen. Third, when scanning a code to add a device nothing happens. The camera view opens, the camera focuses on the code, and nothing. Tapping does nothing. There's no button to push, no message to read. Adding a device via recovery code did work. Finally, both the desktop and iPhone app have an endless syncing status with the animated logo running at all times and nothing happening, and once again, no feedback. If this app is designed to "just work", it doesn't. ### 2/5 — UX is very aweful *2019-04-07* Newer iPhones screen sizes are not supported, the app looks outdated. ### 2/5 — Great security, mediocre everything else *2017-08-17* I appreciate that Semaphor provides a much more private and secure alternative to Slack. But its user experience is inferior to Slack in every way; and that makes it harder to use and harder to persuade others to use, and thus makes its security and privacy benefits illusory. ### 3/5 — iPhone X Support Required *2018-03-21* Why this update would not include iPhone X display support? Waited long enough for an update. ### 3/5 — No support for landscape in iOS *2017-01-10* Hoping to use this with my iPad Pro and keyboard, and lo...it doesn't rotate. Drops the utility for me significantly. Would like to have better control over notifications, the current options are very narrow. Feels raw, but appears to work as designed...the ability to setup channels is a real plus. ### 3/5 — Could be great, but... *2016-11-04* I'm a fan of all things SpiderOak, but Semaphor is a bit of a tease. If the notifications worked and you didn't have to constantly scroll down to read new messages between two users it would be awesome. Other than those two issues it's great, but if I don't get notifications then what is the point? If you leave the app open they usually come through, but no notifications at all if it's closed. ### 3/5 — The way forward *2016-11-01* Like the concept and the privacy, however the 30 day policy for keeping messages its a big setback ## Most praised reviews (3 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — RIP *2023-11-14* Thank you for helping me that one time when no other app was able to. Or maybe signal was, but still. ### 5/5 — Great secure chat app *2016-10-30* Beautiful app with great true secure chat functionality and cross platform support! ### 3/5 — Good but... *2016-10-05* It will be 5 stars when you will launch it for ipad also --- *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 2026-06-01.*