Session vs Friendly Encounter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Anonymous account creation
- Decentralized server network
- No metadata logging
- IP address protection
- End-to-end encrypted group chats
- Secure file sharing
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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
Friendly Encounter
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Friendly Encounter helps you meet interesting people who are actually near you, right now. Instead of endless swiping, you go live, see who's around, and connect over what you both care about. Every profile is built around real interests and knowledge, so conversations start with something worth talking about. HOW IT WORKS - Set up a quick profile with a photo and the topics you're into - Tap "Go live" to become visible to people nearby - Wave at someone who looks interesting. If they wave back, you can chat - Meet up, or just have a good conversation BUILT FOR REAL CONNECTION - See people by shared interests, not just proximity - A live selfie keeps the community authentic and shows what people look like right now, so you can recognize each other in person - Report and block tools keep things respectful - You control when you're visible. Browse privately anytime Whether you're new to a city, looking to expand your circle, or just curious who's around, Friendly Encounter turns the people nearby into real conversations. You must be 18 or older to use Friendly Encounter.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Friendly Encounter at none against Session's 3. Session's advantage is chart position (#103 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Session sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. Friendly Encounter asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Session | Friendly Encounter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (5.3K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5.3K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | #103 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 92 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | The Loki Project | David Austin |
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
Friendly Encounter
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Session
- Session Pro$4.491 Month
- Session Pro$11.993 Months
- Session Pro$35.991 Year
Friendly Encounter
No in-app purchases









