Comparison

ChatSecure Messenger vs StealthTalk Private Messenger

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

Head to head
About

ChatSecure Messenger

This free and open source messaging app provides secure, end-to-end encrypted conversations using OTR and OMEMO over the XMPP protocol. It offers interoperability with other XMPP clients and uses well-known cryptographic libraries for privacy.

Highlights
  • OTR encryption
  • OMEMO encryption
  • XMPP protocol
  • TLS certificate pinning
  • SQLCipher local encryption
  • Open source
Features
Read full description

ChatSecure is a free and open source messaging app that features OTR and OMEMO encryption over XMPP. You can create new accounts on public XMPP servers, or even connect to your own server for extra security. Unlike other apps that keep you stuck in their walled garden, ChatSecure is fully interoperable with other clients that support OTR, OMEMO and XMPP. ChatSecure only uses well-known open source cryptographic libraries to keep your conversations private. Other apps may make claims about 'military grade' security but, without publicly auditable source code and verifiable end-to-end encryption, you cannot be truly safe. * XMPP with TLS certificate pinning. * OTR for verifiable end-to-end encryption and forward secrecy. * OMEMO for a mobile-friendly alternative to OTR. * SQLCipher to locally encrypt conversation logs. * Free and Open Source: https://github.com/chatsecure/chatsecure-ios Follow @ChatSecure on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chatsecure ►► ChatSecure Donations Subscribe to ChatSecure to help make developing free and open source privacy tools sustainable. We welcome any contribution to support ongoing development. The donation levels are currently $2.99/month, $5.99/month or $19.99/month. Here's what you get: • Feel good supporting indie software • Continued development and updates • Help keep the app free for everyone To manage your subscription: • You can turn off auto-renewal via the main Settings app: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4098 • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Visit the following URL to view our Privacy Policy: https://chatsecure.org/privacy/ • Visit the following URL for full terms of use: https://chatsecure.org/terms/

About

StealthTalk Private Messenger

This secure messenger offers end-to-end encrypted voice calls and messages for privacy-conscious professionals. Features include self-destructing messages, a stealth mode for enhanced privacy, and a zero-knowledge architecture.

Highlights
  • Secure voice calls
  • End-to-end encrypted messages
  • Self-destructing messages
  • Stealth mode
  • Zero-knowledge architecture
  • Patented SDNP protocol
Features
Read full description

StealthTalk is a private messenger designed to meet high demands of business- and privacy-minded professionals. Based on a patented SDNP protocol developed for professional use in telecommunications, StealthTalk bridges the gap between professional and consumer security solutions. KEY FEATURES Secure Voice Calls Make secure calls with exceptional voice quality, even with slow internet connection speeds based on TETRA professional communication standards and SDNP protocol. Secure Messages Exchange true end-to-end encrypted messages with all sensitive message data encryption and decryption taking place entirely on the user device. Self-Destruct Messages Send confidential messages that are erased automatically after a selected period of time. Stealth Mode Protected stealth environment for sensitive calls and messages that requires users to enter their password to preview messages or receive calls. PRIVACY & SECURITY End-to-End Encryption All communication within StealthTalk is always protected with end-to-end encryption powered by a patented SDNP protocol that uses ECC 512, AES 256 and SHA-3 512 as primitives. Zero-Knowledge Proof StealthTalk knows nothing about the content of your messages or calls. User data is not collected or stored on StealthTalk servers and cannot be analyzed, sold or disclosed. Professional Telecommunications Technology StealthTalk communication security is based on the patented, tried and field-tested SDNP protocol developed for and used in professional telecommunications. REQUIRED PERMISSIONS StealthTalk requires the following permissions to deliver its private messaging services and ensure all features are operational. • Contacts: Contacts permission is used to match you with your contacts using phone number hashes. StealthTalk does not monetize, collect or store your address book data. • Microphone: Microphone access is required to make secure voice calls • Bluetooth & Location: Bluetooth and location access is needed to locate devices close to you and enable encryption key exchange. • Camera: Camera access is needed to add new contacts via QR code and send pictures with the built-in camera. • Storage: Storage access is needed to store images and files that you receive in chats. For additional information and suggestions, please contact support@stealthtalk.com

Screenshots

ChatSecure Messenger4 screens
StealthTalk Private Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ChatSecure Messenger at 4.2 against StealthTalk Private Messenger's 3.8. ChatSecure Messenger also leads on ratings volume (282 vs 10) and device support (4 vs 2). StealthTalk Private Messenger's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. ChatSecure Messenger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and StealthTalk Private Messenger sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ChatSecure Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChatSecure Messenger has 282 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of ChatSecure Messenger's written reviews are positive against 50% of StealthTalk Private Messenger's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, StealthTalk Private Messenger fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ChatSecure Messenger versus StealthTalk Private Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChatSecure MessengerStealthTalk Private Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (282 ratings) — better3.8 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews51.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings282 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB94 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChris BallingerStealthTalk Inc.

Customer experience

ChatSecure Messenger

All ratings282 ratings
Positive76.6%
Neutral7.8%
Negative15.6%
Written reviews145 reviews
Positive51.0%
Neutral13.8%
Negative35.2%

StealthTalk Private Messenger

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

ChatSecure Messenger

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Fails to send messages
  • Notifications not working
  • Syncing issues across devices
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add group chat support
  • Improve background support
  • Add search functionality
  • Customization options
  • Improve message delivery reliability
Show 1 more
  • Restore Tor support

StealthTalk Private Messenger

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

ChatSecure Messenger

Subscriptions3
  • $2.99 Donation$2.991 Month
  • $5.99 Donation$5.991 Month
  • $9.99 Donation$9.991 Month
8 purchases

StealthTalk Private Messenger

One-time8
  • StealthTalk Pro (1 month)$4.99
  • StealthTalk PRO (1 Month)$9.99
  • StealthTalk Max (1 month)$9.99
Show 5 more
  • StealthTalk Elite (1 month)$14.99
  • StealthTalk Pro (1 year)$49.99
  • StealthTalk PRO (12 Months)$99.99
  • StealthTalk Max (1 year)$99.99
  • StealthTalk Elite (1 year)$149.99

Questions

Is ChatSecure Messenger free?
ChatSecure Messenger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is StealthTalk Private Messenger free?
StealthTalk Private Messenger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ChatSecure Messenger or StealthTalk Private Messenger?
ChatSecure Messenger is rated higher. ChatSecure Messenger averages 4.2 out of 5 from 282 ratings, while StealthTalk Private Messenger averages 3.8 from 10 ratings.
Do ChatSecure Messenger or StealthTalk Private Messenger have ads?
Neither ChatSecure Messenger nor StealthTalk Private Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChatSecure Messenger or StealthTalk Private Messenger?
ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, and StealthTalk Private Messenger fortnightly. Most recently, ChatSecure Messenger was updated on October 15, 2026 and StealthTalk Private Messenger on October 15, 2026.

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