Comparison

BrightChat vs MilChat

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BrightChat

This app provides secure and private communication through end-to-end encrypted messaging and calls. It offers features like scheduled and disappearing messages, as well as group chats for staying connected with loved ones.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encrypted messages
  • Encrypted audio and video calls
  • Schedule messages
  • Disappearing messages
  • Group chats
Features
Read full description

BrightChat is a free, simple, and trusted messenger that connects anyone anywhere. Secure calls and messages based on state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption technology. Privacy and security are the core of our values. Respect for your privacy and protection of your data are our top priority. Every private message and call is secured by end-to-end encryption so that no one, including us, can read your messages or listen to your conversations except yourself and the intended recipients. Main features: * Secure messages with end-to-end encryption End-to-end encrypted messaging to give you peace of mind about your data security. * Encrypted real-time audio and video calls Crystal-clear audio & video let you hear your friends or family as if they were right there with you. * Scheduling messages Compose your messages ahead of time and choose when they get sent. You can send messages in advance, like friend's birthdays, or even schedule to send messages at midnight so that your friends can receive them in the morning. * Disappearing messages Set a timer that automatically deletes your messages after a certain interval. * Group Chats Use group chats to stay connected with friends and family.

About

MilChat

A secure messenger prioritizing user privacy with end-to-end encryption and registration via email only. It offers a high level of personal data protection and an emergency data deletion function.

Highlights
  • End-to-end traffic encryption
  • Email-only registration
  • No paid advertising
  • Emergency data deletion
  • Corporate server options
  • Program code obfuscation
Features
Read full description

MilChat is a truly secure messenger. You may use it on your tablet or smartphone. MilChat ‘s advantages: • Guaranteed high level of personal data protection. • Lack of paid advertising content. • It’s impossible to identify a person by a mobile phone number. Registration is via e-mail only. • Can be used for corporate purposes, based on the servers of the customer. Security: • End-to-end traffic encryption with Double Ratchet, prekeys, Tripple Diffie-Hellman (3-DH) handshake with Curve25519, AES-256, and HMAC-SHA256 as cryptographic primitives. • Local data is stored in an encrypted database. • There is an emergency function to delete personal data from the device. • Program code obfuscation. Help us make our application the best! Everyone deserves the absolute secrecy of his texting!

Screenshots

BrightChat4 screens
MilChat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MilChat at 5.0 against BrightChat's 4.6. MilChat also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%). BrightChat's advantage is ratings volume (190 vs 4) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MilChat holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BrightChat has 190 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of BrightChat's written reviews are positive against 100% of MilChat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BrightChat ships an update every 3 weeks, MilChat fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
BrightChat versus MilChat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrightChatMilChat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (190 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings190 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size98 MB158 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShenXun IncTrident Defence

Customer experience

BrightChat

All ratings189 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral2.1%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive75.4%
Neutral5.8%
Negative18.8%

MilChat

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

BrightChat

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Cannot receive verification codes (UK, +262)
  • Long delays in sending or receiving messages
  • Messages do not send or receive for long periods
  • Cannot unblock users
  • Delete user option not working
Show 10 more
  • Bug where @ tagging in group chats doesn't work on iPhone
  • Impossible to add members after last update
  • No landscape mode on iPad
  • Unable to connect using mobile data since version 1.20.37
  • Computer version login issues (password reset needed)
  • Contact disappeared on computer version
  • Words with 'pp' cannot be sent
  • Notifications received but app doesn't open or show information
  • All connections gone after upgrading
  • Cannot log in on iPhone after latest update (no next step after password)

Requested features

13 requests
  • Add parental controls (contact restrictions, website blocking)
  • Make secure internet app with parental controls
  • Make double checkmarks more visible
  • Add landscape mode for iPad
  • Allow viewing messages and attachments in landscape mode
Show 8 more
  • Add zoom functionality for messages/attachments
  • Implement a simple poll feature in group chats
  • Create a 'note to self' section
  • Add ability to draw in messages
  • Add possibility to directly respond to messages
  • Add night mode/different color themes
  • Add password login option for computer version
  • Allow editing sent text (contradicts other reviews)

MilChat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

BrightChat

No in-app purchases

None

MilChat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BrightChat free?
BrightChat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MilChat free?
MilChat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BrightChat or MilChat?
MilChat is rated higher. BrightChat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 190 ratings, while MilChat averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do BrightChat or MilChat have ads?
Neither BrightChat nor MilChat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BrightChat or MilChat?
BrightChat ships an update every 3 weeks, and MilChat fortnightly. Most recently, BrightChat was updated on October 24, 2026 and MilChat on October 9, 2026.

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