Comparison

Black SMS vs Cryptic Send

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

Head to head
About

Black SMS

Securely protect your private conversations with a fingerprint or passcode. This app encrypts messages, including those within iMessage, ensuring only authorized individuals can access them. It's ideal for safeguarding sensitive work, medical, or personal communications.

Highlights
  • Fingerprint lock for messages
  • Passcode protection
  • iMessage integration
  • Military-grade encryption
  • Securely encrypt all messages
Read full description

Keep messages private by protecting them with your fingerprint or a passcode (now built directly into iMessage!). 170,000 people already use Black SMS for confidential work-material, private medical communication, photos, group chats, and relationship advice. Download now to protect your messages with Touch ID fingerprint lock, so only the intended people can read, even if someone else has their phone. Black SMS uses military grade 256-bit encryption Download now to securely encrypt all your messages. Compatible with iOS 10 software on iMessage

About

Cryptic Send

Encrypt your text messages within iMessage for enhanced privacy. Share sensitive information securely using a secret key, with options for messages to expire. Ideal for private conversations and situations requiring extra message control.

Highlights
  • Encrypt messages within iMessage
  • Use a secret key for decryption
  • Set messages to expire
  • Auto-load and decrypt messages
  • Add privacy to personal conversations
Features
Read full description

Send private messages inside iMessage with an extra layer of protection. Cryptic Send helps you encrypt messages before you send them, so only someone with the same secret key can read them. It is built for private conversations, sensitive details, and moments when you want more control over who can see your message. Why people use Cryptic Send • Add privacy to messages sent through iMessage • Encrypt messages with your own secret key • Auto-load and decrypt messages when opened in the extension • Set messages to expire for extra privacy • Keep message content out of plain view if someone else accesses the device How it works 1. Write your message 2. Enter your secret key 3. Send through iMessage 4. The recipient opens the message and uses the same key to decrypt it Built for privacy Cryptic Send is designed to protect message content before it is sent. Only the correct key can unlock the original text. For even more control, you can choose message expiration for conversations that should not stay readable forever. Great for • Personal conversations • Sensitive information • Extra privacy on shared or accessible devices • Anyone who wants more control over message visibility Important Both people need the same secret key to decrypt the message. If you want a simple way to send more private messages inside iMessage, Cryptic Send gives you that extra layer without leaving your normal messaging flow.

Screenshots

Black SMS4 screens
Cryptic Send4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cryptic Send at 100% against Black SMS's 52%. Cryptic Send also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.1). Black SMS's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (11 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Cryptic Send holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Black SMS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cryptic Send's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Black SMS ships an update every 2 weeks, Cryptic Send every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Black SMS versus Cryptic Send: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlack SMSCryptic Send
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (11 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHadar Weitzman Group Inc.Cryptific LLC

Customer experience

Black SMS

All ratings11 ratings
Positive45.5%
Neutral9.1%
Negative45.5%
Written reviews83 reviews
Positive51.8%
Neutral2.4%
Negative45.8%

Cryptic Send

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Black SMS

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Messages sometimes empty
  • App becomes unresponsive
  • Recipient needs to open message twice
  • Password not working
  • Cannot send pics from library
Show 5 more
  • Message expires right when sent
  • App crashes on startup
  • Lemon text feature not working
  • Cannot decrypt messages
  • Photo stays displayed after leaving app

Requested features

7 requests
  • Support for sending videos
  • Update for newer phones/iOS
  • Dark mode
  • Option to black out recipient name
  • Add texting capabilities within the app
Show 2 more
  • Encrypt photos
  • Improve UI and fix blurry text

Cryptic Send

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Black SMS

No in-app purchases

None

Cryptic Send

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Black SMS free?
Black SMS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cryptic Send free?
Cryptic Send is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Black SMS or Cryptic Send?
Cryptic Send is rated higher. Black SMS averages 3.1 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Cryptic Send averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Black SMS or Cryptic Send have ads?
Neither Black SMS nor Cryptic Send shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Black SMS or Cryptic Send?
Black SMS ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cryptic Send every 5 months. Most recently, Black SMS was updated on September 21, 2026 and Cryptic Send on September 15, 2026.

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