# DEF CON Forums vs Element X

DEF CON Forums and Element X both sit at 3.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 39% of Element X's written reviews are positive against 0% of DEF CON Forums's. Element X also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (156 vs 6). DEF CON Forums's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.5). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.3 for DEF CON Forums against 3.4 for Element X. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Element X has 156 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of DEF CON Forums's written reviews are positive against 39% of Element X's.

DEF CON Forums ships an update every 3 months, Element X fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DEF CON Forums | Element X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/def-con-forums/id1472107132/reviews) | **[3.4 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-x-secure-chat-and-call/id1631335820/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **156** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **39.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 313 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [DEF CON, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472107131) | [Vector Creations Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154157774) |

## What reviewers say

### DEF CON Forums

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/def-con-forums/id1472107132)

Connect with the hacker and infosec communities. Discuss topics, plan for DEF CON conferences, and access the official forums directly through a streamlined interface. Supports multiple languages and prioritizes user privacy.

**Highlights:** Access DEF CON forums, Connect with hacker community, Infosec discussions, Conference planning, Multi-language support, Privacy-focused

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Element X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-x-secure-chat-and-call/id1631335820)

Communicate securely and privately with instant messaging and video calls. This app offers robust features for individuals and communities, allowing you to own your data and choose where it's hosted. Enjoy real-time communication with synchronized history across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Real-time messaging, Video calls, Public and private rooms, Rich messaging features, Cross-device synchronization, Data ownership and server choice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DEF CON Forums free?

DEF CON Forums is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Element X free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DEF CON Forums or Element X?

Element X is rated higher. DEF CON Forums averages 3.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Element X averages 3.4 from 156 ratings.

### Do DEF CON Forums or Element X have ads?

Neither DEF CON Forums nor Element X shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DEF CON Forums or Element X?

DEF CON Forums ships an update every 3 months, and Element X fortnightly. Most recently, DEF CON Forums was updated on September 16, 2026 and Element X on October 19, 2026.

---

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