# Session vs Hush

The clearest difference is rating: Session at 4.4 against Hush's 2.5. Session also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 23%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Session holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Session has 5.4K ratings behind it against 624, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Session's written reviews are positive against 23% of Hush's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Session | Hush |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (5.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-private-messenger/id1470168868/reviews)** | [2.5 (624 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hush-express-freely/id1672847314/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.4K** | 624 |
| Positive reviews | **61.5% of reviews** | 22.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#94** | — |
| Size | 92 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [The Loki Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465686521) | [Hush Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1660458698) |

## What reviewers say

### Session

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

**Currently charting:** #94 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

A private messenger focused on user data protection through a decentralized network. It offers secure, end-to-end encrypted communication without requiring personal information for account creation. Enjoy private group chats and secure file sharing with no ads or trackers.

**Highlights:** Fully private account creation, Decentralized server network, No metadata logging, IP address protection, End-to-end encrypted group chats, Secure attachments

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**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


### Hush

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hush-express-freely/id1672847314)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Session free?

Session is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### 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 4.4 out of 5 from 5.4K ratings, while Hush averages 2.5 from 624 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 November 11, 2026 and Hush on November 7, 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.*