# Element X vs Grid

The clearest difference is rating: Grid at 4.7 against Element X's 3.4. Grid also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 39%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.5). Element X's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Grid sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Element X asks for nothing beyond the download.

Grid holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Element X has 162 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Element X's written reviews are positive against 80% of Grid's.

Element X ships an update fortnightly, Grid every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Element X | Grid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-x-secure-chat-and-call/id1631335820/reviews) | **[4.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-private-location-sharing/id6736839927/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **162** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 38.8% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 341 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vector Creations Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154157774) | [Rezivure LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1516181424) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Grid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-private-location-sharing/id6736839927)

Share your location privately and securely with end-to-end encryption. Control who sees your location and for how long, with options for temporary or long-term groups. The core service is free and open source.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted location sharing, One-to-one and group sharing, Temporary and long-term groups, Self-hosting capability, Custom map providers, Optional satellite maps

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Satellite Maps | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Element X free?

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

### Is Grid free?

Grid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Element X or Grid?

Grid is rated higher. Element X averages 3.4 out of 5 from 162 ratings, while Grid averages 4.7 from 15 ratings.

### Do Element X or Grid have ads?

Neither Element X nor Grid shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Element X or Grid?

Element X ships an update fortnightly, and Grid every 2 months. Most recently, Element X was updated on October 27, 2026 and Grid on October 25, 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.*