# Session vs Berty Messenger

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Session | Berty Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (4.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-private-messenger/id1470168868/reviews)** | [3.0 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berty-messenger/id1535500412/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.6K** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **63.1% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#97** | — |
| Size | 96 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Loki Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465686521) | [Berty Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437267587) |

## What reviewers say

### Session

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-private-messenger/id1470168868)

**Currently charting:** #97 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Session Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Session Pro | $11.99 | per 3 months |
| Session Pro | $35.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure and private messaging
- 👍 Clean and intuitive user interface
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 🔒 No phone number or personal data required
- 💡 Innovative use of blockchain and Tor network

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and message delivery
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Slow media file transfers
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Limited features compared to competitors

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berty-messenger/id1535500412)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*