Comparison

Session vs Hush

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

Hush

A privacy-focused social platform for open discussions on any topic. Connect with others globally or locally, share thoughts, and join communities without revealing personal details. Features include translation and multi-layered moderation for a safe experience.

Highlights
  • Privacy-first social platform
  • Community conversations
  • Translate posts and replies
  • Local and global feeds
  • Multi-layered moderation
Features
Read full description

Hush - Express Freely is a privacy-focused social platform used by 2.5M+ people worldwide. Share thoughts, join communities, and connect with others — without revealing personal details - just meaningful conversations combined with safety for discussing topics you stay away from in real life or on other platforms due to personal and professional concerns. Why People Choose Hush - Privacy First - Community Conversations: Discuss everyday topics, interests, school, work, relationships, and life experiences, stay connected to what matters to you. - No language barriers: our 'Translate' feature across posts and replies ensure you can understand the discussion in your preferred language. - Local & Global Feeds: See topics being discussed nearby and around the world. - Multi-layered Moderation: We use a combination of AI, Human moderators, user driven flagging/reporting, and a few other complimentary systems. Hush is designed to provide a safe, welcoming space for open discussion while prioritizing privacy and safety. Download today to start and/or join the discussions on topics that matter to you.

Screenshots

Session4 screens
Hush4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Session at 4.3 against Hush's 2.4. Session also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 22%) and chart position (#98 vs unranked). Hush's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Hush asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Session holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Session has 4.6K ratings behind it against 562, 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 22% of Hush's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Session versus Hush: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSessionHush
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (4.6K ratings) — better2.4 (562 ratings)
Positive reviews63.1% of reviews — better22.5% of reviews
Number of ratings4.6K — better562
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
Best chart rank#98 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB125 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperThe Loki ProjectHush Incorporated

Customer experience

Session

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

Hush

All ratings562 ratings
Positive32.9%
Neutral3.4%
Negative63.7%
Written reviews636 reviews
Positive22.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative71.2%

User reviews

Session

From 4.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 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

Room to improve

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

Hush

From 562 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth interface
  • 🔒 Robust app design
  • 👍 Better than Whisper
  • 👍 Loving the app so far
  • 👍 Clean and intuitive interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Slow and buggy interface
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Posts constantly under review
  • 🐛 Inability to see replies to own posts
  • 🐛 Inbox issues

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

Hush

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Can't post or view messages
  • Local tab not working
  • Constant loading issues
  • Disappearing messages and replies

Requested features

5 requests
  • Mass delete message threads
  • Option to toggle off location-based notifications
  • Ability to upload own images
  • Improved moderation to weed out bad users
  • Streamlined reporting and banning process

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Session

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

Hush

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Session free?
Session is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hush free?
Hush is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Session or Hush?
Session is rated higher. Session averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4.6K ratings, while Hush averages 2.4 from 562 ratings.
Do Session or Hush have ads?
Neither Session nor Hush shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Session or Hush?
Session ships an update fortnightly, and Hush fortnightly. Most recently, Session was updated on September 23, 2026 and Hush on September 23, 2026.

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