# xPal Ultra Secure Messenger vs Downshift

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Downshift at none against xPal Ultra Secure Messenger's 13. Downshift also leads on device support (3 vs 1). xPal Ultra Secure Messenger's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. xPal Ultra Secure Messenger sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Downshift asks for nothing beyond the download.

xPal Ultra Secure Messenger ships an update weekly, Downshift every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | xPal Ultra Secure Messenger | Downshift |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (141 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xpal-ultra-secure-messenger/id1536908440/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **141** | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 244 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [XPAL.com Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1562481384) | [Andrei Adrian Betea](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858042771) |

## What reviewers say

### xPal Ultra Secure Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xpal-ultra-secure-messenger/id1536908440)

Communicate privately without a phone number using a secure, independently verified messenger. Features end-to-end encryption for messages, calls, and file transfers, with advanced privacy controls and disappearing message options.

**Highlights:** No phone number required for registration, End-to-end encrypted messages, calls, and file transfers, Independently verified security, Disappearing messages (Flicker™ Mode), Metadata removal for photos/videos, Desktop and web access

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription 1 | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription 2 | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription 3 | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription 4 | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription 5 | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription 1 | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription 2 | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription 3 | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription 4 | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription 5 | $39.99 | per year |
| Additional Number Purchase | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Purchase xID | $99.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Purchase xID 2 | $199.99 | one-time |


### Downshift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downshift/id6756028828)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is xPal Ultra Secure Messenger free?

xPal Ultra Secure Messenger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Downshift free?

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

### Do xPal Ultra Secure Messenger or Downshift have ads?

Neither xPal Ultra Secure Messenger nor Downshift shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, xPal Ultra Secure Messenger or Downshift?

xPal Ultra Secure Messenger ships an update weekly, and Downshift every 3 weeks. Most recently, xPal Ultra Secure Messenger was updated on October 30, 2026 and Downshift on October 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.*