Comparison

K9 Chat vs Hugin Messenger

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

K9 Chat

This secure chat application offers end-to-end encryption and zero-trust communication for private teams and organizations. It supports audio, video, screensharing, and voice notes without tracking user activity. Access requires an account provided by an administrator.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Zero-trust communication
  • Anonymous messaging
  • Audio and video calls
  • Screensharing
  • Voice notes
Features
Read full description

K9 Chat is an end-to-end encrypted messaging app for organisations that run their own K9 Chat server. Messages, calls and files are encrypted on your device, so only the people in the conversation can read them. FEATURES • One-to-one and group messaging • Encrypted voice and video calls • Screen sharing • Voice messages • Photo, video and file sharing • Threads, replies and reactions FOR ORGANISATIONS K9 Chat connects only to K9 servers operated by your own organisation, whether on premise, cloud-hosted or hybrid. It is not a public messaging network and does not connect to any other service. BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD An account is required, and accounts are issued by your organisation's administrator. Without one, you will not be able to sign in.

About

Hugin Messenger

Experience secure, decentralized communication with this peer-to-peer chat service. Connect with friends and communities through encrypted direct and group messages, all without central servers or personal data collection. Enjoy crystal-clear voice and video calls and a decentralized social feed.

Highlights
  • Peer-to-peer communication
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Voice and video calls
  • Decentralized social feed
  • Zero sign-up required
  • No personal data collection
Features
Read full description

Hugin Messenger is a privacy-focused, peer-to-peer chat service built for secure, decentralized communication. Connect with your friends and communities in group chats and direct messages — all without relying on central servers. *** Why Hugin? *** True Peer-to-Peer Communication - No servers. No middlemen. Your data never touches a third party. End-to-End Encryption by Default - Messages and calls are secured using modern encryption technologies. Crystal Clear Voice & Video Calls - Enjoy high-quality, low-latency calls with no compromise on privacy. Decentralized Social Feed - Discover new discussions and connect with others using the Hugin Feed — no algorithms, no tracking. Zero Sign-Up, Zero Tracking - No phone number. No email. No identity required. We don’t collect or store any personal data. Powered by a Global P2P Network - Built on top of a resilient, decentralized infrastructure — your messages flow directly between devices. Take back control of your conversations. - Download Hugin Messenger and experience private communication without compromise.

Screenshots

K9 Chat4 screens
Hugin Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hugin Messenger at weekly against K9 Chat's every 3 weeks. Hugin Messenger also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.5). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for K9 Chat against 5.0 for Hugin Messenger. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

K9 Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, Hugin Messenger weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
K9 Chat versus Hugin Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterK9 ChatHugin Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.516.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size254 MB92 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperColohost LLCHarry Eriksson

Customer experience

K9 Chat

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Hugin Messenger

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

K9 Chat

No in-app purchases

None

Hugin Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is K9 Chat free?
K9 Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hugin Messenger free?
Hugin Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, K9 Chat or Hugin Messenger?
K9 Chat and Hugin Messenger are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do K9 Chat or Hugin Messenger have ads?
Neither K9 Chat nor Hugin Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, K9 Chat or Hugin Messenger?
K9 Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hugin Messenger weekly. Most recently, K9 Chat was updated on October 16, 2026 and Hugin Messenger on October 21, 2026.

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