Stegg vs Underlayer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Stegg
This app allows you to embed secret messages within any digital image, keeping the photo visually unchanged. Only those with the app can reveal the hidden text. Advanced features offer enhanced privacy and disguise options.
- Hide messages within images
- Visually identical images
- Password protection for messages
- Disguise app as calculator (Pro)
- Hide images within images (Pro)
- Customizable app themes (Pro)
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Stegg hides secret messages and entire photos inside ordinary images. The result looks like a normal picture. Your recipient can reveal what’s hidden in Stegg, and optional password encryption keeps protected secrets unreadable without the password. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Every message and image is processed entirely on your device. • Stegg never uploads your images, messages, or passwords. • No account, usage tracking, or third-party ads. • Password protection uses strong encryption; the correct password is required to decrypt the secret. HIDE, SHARE, AND REVEAL • Hide text inside a photo without visibly changing it. • Hide a complete photo inside another with Stegg Pro. • Share compatible Steggs between iPhone and Android. • Open images from other apps directly in Reveal. • Share only the stegged image with Discreet Share, or send a short explanation with Invite to Decode. • Core message hiding and revealing stay free so recipients never need Pro to decode what you send. BUILT FOR REAL-WORLD SHARING • Social-Proof mode helps preserve hidden data when a service may recompress an image. • Deep Search looks for hidden data in many cropped, resized, or screenshot images. • For the most reliable results, send or download the original image file. STEGG PRO: ONE PURCHASE Unlock photo-in-photo hiding, Calculator Disguise, five custom themes, and matching app icons. Pay once. No subscription. Your localized price appears before you buy. An app by RUNEWORKS.
Underlayer
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UNDERLAYER - STEGANOGRAPHY MADE SIMPLE Transform ordinary images into secret carriers. Hide confidential messages invisibly within photos and share them through any messenger without raising suspicion. KEY FEATURES: HIDE SECRETS • Embed text messages invisibly into any image • Two encoding modes: Hidden (invisible pixels) and Open (colored frame) • Open mode survives messenger compression (Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.) • Share processed images directly or save to gallery REVEAL MESSAGES • Extract hidden text from steganographic images • Automatic detection of encoding method • Works with images received through messengers • Share intent support - open images directly from gallery WHY UNDERLAYER? • Simple & Intuitive - No cryptography knowledge required • Messenger-Friendly - Open mode designed for compressed sharing • Privacy First - All processing happens locally on your device • Universal - Works with JPG, PNG, WebP formats • No Account Required - Start using immediately USE CASES • Private communication through public channels • Watermarking images with hidden ownership data • Secure note-taking in plain sight • Educational tool for learning steganography • Fun way to send secret messages to friends SECURITY & PRIVACY • No internet connection required for processing • Your messages never leave your device • No data collection or tracking • Complete control over your secrets PREMIUM FEATURES • No banner ads at the bottom • No interstitial ad interruptions • Process unlimited images without ad breaks HOW IT WORKS 1. Select any image from your gallery 2. Enter your secret message 3. Choose encoding mode (Hidden or Open) 4. App embeds message into image pixels 5. Share through messengers or save locally 6. Recipient opens image in Underlayer to reveal message ENCODING MODES EXPLAINED HIDDEN MODE • Message embedded invisibly in image pixels • Completely undetectable to human eye • Best for uncompressed image sharing • Lost when image is compressed by messengers OPEN MODE • Message encoded as colored frame border • Visible as decorative edge around image • Survives Telegram, WhatsApp compression • Recommended for messenger sharing INTERNATIONAL • Available in English and Russian • More languages coming soon • Automatic language detection Whether you're a privacy enthusiast, security professional, or just curious about steganography - Underlayer makes it accessible to everyone. Download now and start hiding your secrets in plain sight! Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Stegg at none against Underlayer's shown. Stegg also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Stegg sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Underlayer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Stegg ships an update every 3 months, Underlayer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on August 2, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Stegg | Underlayer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 169 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RUNEWORKS LLC | Mihail Rukavishnikov |
In-app purchases
Stegg
- Stegg Pro$4.99
Underlayer
- Premium$2.997 Days









