Keybase vs #Away
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Keybase
Securely message anyone on social media or other platforms without needing their personal contact information. All communications are end-to-end encrypted and accessible across multiple devices. This open-source platform is free and ad-free for all users.
- Secure messaging to social media users
- End-to-end encryption
- Multi-device support
- Open source
- Ad-free
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Keybase is a messaging platform where: • you can write securely to any twitter, reddit, facebook, github, and hacker news user • you don't need to know someone's phone number or email address • all messages are secure, end-to-end encrypted • multi-device: your messages survive and transfer with encryption to new phones & computers Keybase is so much more. It is: • free for everyone, and free of ads • open source (https://github.com/keybase/client) • multi-platform, w/apps for macOS, Linux, and Windows (https://keybase.io/download) By using the Keybase app you agree to the following terms: • you'll be a nice Internet person Keybase for mobile is brand new and we yearn for feedback. Inside the app, click the gear icon and then choose "feedback" to send us a summary of your experience.
#Away
Share your status with friends by displaying custom messages on their lock screens. Stay connected without constant texting, perfect for indicating when you're busy or need space. Reduce screen time and focus on real-life interactions.
- Customizable lock screen messages
- Automatic status updates for friends
- No app opening required to view
- Reduces constant texting
- Promotes less screen time
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Away puts your custom message on your best friends' lock screens. Let friends know when you're busy, traveling, or just need space—without the constant "where are you?" texts. Set your away message once, and everyone sees it on their own lock screen. No app opening required. Perfect for staying connected without staying glued to your phone. Less screen time, more real life. NOTES: Away includes an optional premium subscription. This is offered on a monthly basis. If you choose to purchase a subscription, your payment will be charged to your iTunes account. Subscriptions will automatically renew unless canceled within 24 hours before the end of the current period. After purchase, you can turn off auto-renewal at any time by going to your Account Settings in the App Store. LEARN MORE: Privacy Policy: https://away.now/privacy Terms of Use: https://away.now/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: #Away at 5.0 against Keybase's 3.5. #Away also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Keybase's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (323 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. #Away sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Keybase asks for nothing beyond the download.
#Away holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Keybase has 323 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Keybase ships an update every 3 months, #Away every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Keybase | #Away |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (323 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 323 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 18.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 127 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Keybase, Inc. | Gomeo Inc. |
Customer experience
Keybase
#Away
Bugs and requests
Keybase
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Messaging issues and lost chats
- Unreliable file sharing
Requested features
4 requests- Add iPad app support
- Improve message threading and navigation
- Integrate with more social platforms
- Add password manager functionality
#Away
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Keybase
No in-app purchases
#Away
- Away Premium$7.991 Month
