# Black SMS vs Cryptic Send

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.

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

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.

Black SMS ships an update every 2 weeks, Cryptic Send every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Black SMS | Cryptic Send |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-sms-protected-texts/id448049263/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptic-send/id6741671216/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 51.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 60 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hadar Weitzman Group Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/335541424) | [Cryptific LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689831629) |

## What reviewers say

### Black SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-sms-protected-texts/id448049263)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Good for privacy
- 💡 Cool concept/idea
- 👍 Easy to use (for some)
- 🚀 Works well (for some)
- ✨ Unique functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Requires recipient to have app
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- ⏳ Time-consuming process
- 💰 Waste of money (for some)
- 🤔 Confusing interface

**Reported bugs**

- Messages sometimes empty
- App becomes unresponsive
- Recipient needs to open message twice
- Password not working
- Cannot send pics from library

**Requested features**

- Support for sending videos
- Update for newer phones/iOS
- Dark mode
- Option to black out recipient name
- Add texting capabilities within the app


### Cryptic Send

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptic-send/id6741671216)

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:** iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 28, 2026 and Cryptic Send on September 15, 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.*