# Berty Messenger vs BonChat

The clearest difference is rating: BonChat at 4.8 against Berty Messenger's 3.0. BonChat also leads on ratings volume (59K vs 22) and review sentiment (56% vs 33%). Berty Messenger's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). 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.

BonChat holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BonChat has 59K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Berty Messenger's written reviews are positive against 56% of BonChat's.

Berty Messenger ships an update every 2 months, BonChat every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Berty Messenger | BonChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berty-messenger/id1535500412/reviews) | **[4.8 (59K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonchat/id6701998686/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 22 | **59K** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **55.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 167 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Berty Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437267587) | [Hong Kong CipherChat Tech Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769526889) |

## What reviewers say

### Berty Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berty-messenger/id1535500412)

This app offers secure, end-to-end encrypted messaging without central servers. It allows communication even without an internet connection, ensuring anonymity and protecting user metadata from surveillance.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, 100% decentralized P2P network, Completely anonymous user profiles, Metadata protection, Offline communication via Bluetooth, Group chats and media sharing, Voice message sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BonChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonchat/id6701998686)

This app offers secure messaging and file sharing with state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption. It provides options for private or on-premise server deployment, advanced group management, and a user-friendly interface. Enjoy seamless cross-platform communication with full control over your data.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Private/on-premise server deployment, Advanced group management, User-friendly interface, Cross-platform support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful training
- 💡 Useful updates and news
- 🔒 Safe and secure communication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inadequate training
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 💬 Feature poor (can't hide online status, keyboard hides text area)

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add read receipts (two checkmarks when message is read)
- Improve keyboard and text area usability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Berty Messenger free?

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

### Is BonChat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Berty Messenger or BonChat?

BonChat is rated higher. Berty Messenger averages 3.0 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while BonChat averages 4.8 from 59K ratings.

### Do Berty Messenger or BonChat have ads?

Neither Berty Messenger nor BonChat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Berty Messenger or BonChat?

Berty Messenger ships an update every 2 months, and BonChat every 4 weeks. Most recently, Berty Messenger was updated on August 21, 2026 and BonChat on September 24, 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.*