Comparison

Session vs Dual Chat Sessions

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 Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Session Terms of Service: https://getsession.org/terms-of-service

About

Dual Chat Sessions

Access a secondary messaging account on your device through a secure web session. This app allows you to send and receive messages, share files, and manage chats without impacting your primary account. It offers tools for faster messaging and enhanced privacy features.

Highlights
  • Access secondary messaging account
  • Send and receive messages
  • Share photos, videos, and files
  • Create and manage groups
  • Quick replies and local stickers
  • Quote card generator
  • App lock with PIN
Features
Read full description

Dual Chat Sessions lets you access a second account on the same device through a secure web session, without affecting your primary account. The app works via the official linked devices mechanism. To connect, simply scan a QR code and access your account through. If the session expires or is cleared, you can reconnect at any time by scanning a new QR code. WHAT YOU CAN DO 1) Access your chats and conversations 2) Send and receive messages 3) Share photos, videos, and files using standard iOS pickers 4) Create new groups and manage chats 5) View starred messages and select multiple chats 6) Search across conversations 7) Refresh the session directly from the app header SMART TOOLS FOR FASTER MESSAGING Quick Replies Create a personal library of frequently used phrases and insert them into messages with a single tap. Stickers Use a local sticker gallery and insert stickers into conversations via copy and paste. Quote Cards Generate shareable image cards with text or quotes on custom backgrounds, gradients, textures, or your own photos. Save them to your device and send as images. Emoji+ A curated collection of favorite emoji, kaomoji, and symbols for quick copy and paste. PRIVACY & SECURITY App Lock (PIN) Protect access with a 4-digit PIN. • Optional lock on app launch • Optional lock when returning from background • Auto-lock delay options: immediately, 30 seconds, or 1 minute • Up to 5 failed attempts, followed by a temporary timeout Resetting the PIN disables App Lock and logs out of all active sessions. SESSION CONTROL • Clear your session manually from settings • Automatically returns to QR login when the session is no longer valid ACCESS & SUBSCRIPTION Connecting an additional session is available with an active subscription. Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AkhPBbGhz0HtSH8b7Dmfno9ONjel2PQ2ibfch3rIx5c/edit?usp=sharing Term of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xc9FVbU-u8bO1JKTeApxRq9uq3MsJjyDtNf_rDL4KRY/edit?usp=sharing

Screenshots

Session4 screens
Dual Chat Sessions4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Dual Chat Sessions at 5.0 against Session's 4.4. Session's advantage is monetization model (free vs subscription) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, 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. Session sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month and Dual Chat Sessions sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dual Chat Sessions holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Session has 5.3K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Session ships an update fortnightly, Dual Chat Sessions every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Session versus Dual Chat Sessions: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSessionDual Chat Sessions
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5.3K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.3K — better2
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#101 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB113 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperThe Loki ProjectKVANTUM KOMPANI TOV

Customer experience

Session

All ratings5,186 ratings
Positive84.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews1,242 reviews
Positive61.3%
Neutral12.1%
Negative26.7%

Dual Chat Sessions

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Dual Chat Sessions

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
3 purchases

Dual Chat Sessions

Subscriptions2
  • Dual Chat Premium$4.997 Days
  • Dual Messenger Premium3 Days trial$4.997 Days
One-time1
  • Dual Messenger One-time$119.99

Questions

Is Session free?
Session is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dual Chat Sessions free?
Dual Chat Sessions is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Session or Dual Chat Sessions?
Dual Chat Sessions is rated higher. Session averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings, while Dual Chat Sessions averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Session or Dual Chat Sessions have ads?
Neither Session nor Dual Chat Sessions shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Session or Dual Chat Sessions?
Session ships an update fortnightly, and Dual Chat Sessions every 3 months. Most recently, Session was updated on October 28, 2026 and Dual Chat Sessions on October 24, 2026.

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