Comparison

Session vs Berty Messenger

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

Head to head
About

Session

This secure messenger prioritizes your privacy with a decentralized network and end-to-end encryption. It offers anonymous account creation, IP address protection, and private group chats without collecting any metadata. Share messages and files with confidence, knowing your communications are truly private.

Highlights
  • Anonymous account creation
  • Decentralized server network
  • No metadata logging
  • IP address protection
  • End-to-end encrypted group chats
  • Secure file sharing
Features
Read full description

Session is a new breed of private messenger, built on a unique network of user-operated servers spread all over the world. With no central servers, Session can’t leak or sell your data. And with Session’s private routing protocols, your messages are completely safe. No trackers, no leaks — send messages, not metadata. • Fully private account creation: No phone number or email needed to create an Account ID • Decentralized server network: No data breaches, no central point of failure • No metadata logging: Session doesn't store, track, or log your messaging metadata • IP address protection: Device IP addresses are never exposed to the person you're talking to or the servers holding your data • Closed groups: Private, end-to-end encrypted group chats for up to 100 people • Secure attachments: Share voice snippets, photos, and files with Session's secure encryption and privacy protections • Free and open-source: Don’t take our word for it — check Session's code yourself Session is free as in free speech and free as in free of ads and trackers. It is stewarded by the Session Foundation, a Swiss-based foundation dedicated to advancing digital rights and innovation. Take back your online privacy today — download Session. Want to build from source, report a bug, or just take a look at our code? Check out Session on GitHub: https://github.com/session-foundation/session-ios

About

Berty Messenger

This app offers secure, end-to-end encrypted messaging without central servers. It allows communication even without an internet connection, ensuring anonymity and protecting user metadata from surveillance.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encrypted messaging
  • 100% decentralized P2P network
  • Completely anonymous user profiles
  • Metadata protection
  • Offline communication via Bluetooth
  • Group chats and media sharing
  • Voice message sharing
Features
Read full description

Berty makes privacy the easy option. Berty is an encrypted and offline peer-to-peer messenger with NO central server. Connect with or without an internet connection, message for free, and avoid surveillance and censorship. DISCLAIMER: Berty is fresh off the development line and hasn’t been audited yet. Please keep this in mind when exchanging data. END-TO-END ENCRYPTED MESSAGING In some countries, even a lol or a like can get you sent to jail. Berty is end-to-end encrypted - not even our developers could access your data, let alone corporations or governments. 100% DECENTRALIZED Just like blockchain technologies, Berty doesn’t pass your data through central servers - the place where internet service providers, hackers, and governments can intercept your data. Instead, Berty’s network is distributed, based on P2P direct messaging. COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS Berty couldn’t care less about who you are. You don’t need to provide your real name, an email, or a date of birth. You don’t even need a SIM card! PROTECT YOUR METADATA You might not know what metadata is, but WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat all collect it. This data can reveal a lot about you - so you’ll be glad to hear Berty is a messaging app alternative that collects as little metadata as humanly possible. COMMUNICATE WITHOUT TRADITIONAL NETWORKS Berty is made to work in the most challenging network conditions in the solar system. If governments, hackers, or natural disasters shut down cellular or internet networks, users can still make vital instant communications over Berty’s proximity Bluetooth feature. JOIN GROUP CHATS Berty is a full-featured instant messaging app. Create groups, chat securely, and share media with friends, family, and colleagues. SHARE VOICE MESSAGES Instantly send encrypted voice memos and audio files on Berty’s decentralized network. FREE FOREVER Privacy is a right for everyone, so Berty doesn’t profit from keeping you safe online. Created by an NGO, Berty will always be free and relies on the generous community to fuel development. TOGGLE BETWEEN ACCOUNTS Create different accounts to split your messaging identities by work, school, family - however, you want to categorize your messages! The Berty messaging app, built on the Berty Protocol, is designed, developed, and deployed by the French non-profit NGO, Berty Technologies. But Berty isn’t just decentralized in terms of its architecture - it’s also owned by the community, not a corporation interested in profits. The progress of Berty relies on developers testing and feeding back on our open source code, generous funding from funds and individual donors, and online and offline advocacy in the community. Documentation on Berty: https://berty.tech/docs Source Code: https://github.com/berty Join Berty’s Discord: Follow Berty on Twitter: @berty

Screenshots

Session4 screens
Berty Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Session at 4.3 against Berty Messenger's 3.0. Session also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 33%) and ratings volume (4.6K vs 22). Berty Messenger's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, monetization model and device support 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. Session sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. Berty Messenger asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Session holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Session has 4.6K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Session's written reviews are positive against 33% of Berty Messenger's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Session ships an update fortnightly, Berty Messenger every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Session versus Berty Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSessionBerty Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (4.6K ratings) — better3.0 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews63.1% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings4.6K — better22
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#97 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB167 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperThe Loki ProjectBerty Technologies

Customer experience

Session

All ratings4,592 ratings
Positive83.1%
Neutral4.5%
Negative12.3%
Written reviews701 reviews
Positive63.1%
Neutral11.7%
Negative25.2%

Berty Messenger

All ratings22 ratings
Positive40.9%
Neutral18.2%
Negative40.9%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Session

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Messages not syncing across devices
  • Inability to join or view group chats
  • Attachments and media not loading properly
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add voice and video calling
  • Implement self-destruct/ephemeral messaging
  • Allow customization of chat backgrounds and themes
  • Improve group chat functionality
  • Add support for multiple accounts/identities

Berty Messenger

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Session

Subscriptions3
  • Session Pro$4.491 Month
  • Session Pro$11.993 Months
  • Session Pro$35.991 Year
None

Berty Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Session free?
Session is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Berty Messenger free?
Berty Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Session or Berty Messenger?
Session is rated higher. Session averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4.6K ratings, while Berty Messenger averages 3.0 from 22 ratings.
Do Session or Berty Messenger have ads?
Neither Session nor Berty Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Session or Berty Messenger?
Session ships an update fortnightly, and Berty Messenger every 2 months. Most recently, Session was updated on September 23, 2026 and Berty Messenger on August 21, 2026.

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