# ChatSecure Messenger vs Snikket

The clearest difference is rating: ChatSecure Messenger at 4.2 against Snikket's 3.6. ChatSecure Messenger also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (282 vs 18). Snikket's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (64% vs 51%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ChatSecure Messenger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Snikket asks for nothing beyond the download.

ChatSecure Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChatSecure Messenger has 282 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of ChatSecure Messenger's written reviews are positive against 64% of Snikket's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, Snikket every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and August 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChatSecure Messenger | Snikket |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (282 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatsecure-messenger/id464200063/reviews)** | [3.6 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snikket/id1545164189/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **282** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | **63.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 34 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Ballinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/433040866) | [Snikket Community Interest Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1545164192) |

## What reviewers say

### ChatSecure Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatsecure-messenger/id464200063)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $2.99 Donation | $2.99 | per month |
| $5.99 Donation | $5.99 | per month |
| $9.99 Donation | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app
- 🔒 Secure chat
- 👍 Intuitive setup
- 🚀 Reliable
- 👍 Excellent service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes often
- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Notifications not working
- 🐛 Messages not syncing
- 🐛 Stability issues

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Add group chat support
- Improve background support
- Add search functionality
- Customization options
- Improve message delivery reliability


### Snikket

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snikket/id1545164189)

Connect with friends, family, and colleagues on a global network without compromising your personal data. This privacy-focused chat application requires an invite to a Snikket service to function, ensuring secure and trusted communication.

**Highlights:** Privacy-friendly communication, Worldwide communication network, Data protection, Trusted service providers, Open-source software

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChatSecure Messenger free?

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

### Is Snikket free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ChatSecure Messenger or Snikket?

ChatSecure Messenger is rated higher. ChatSecure Messenger averages 4.2 out of 5 from 282 ratings, while Snikket averages 3.6 from 18 ratings.

### Do ChatSecure Messenger or Snikket have ads?

Neither ChatSecure Messenger nor Snikket shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ChatSecure Messenger or Snikket?

ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, and Snikket every 7 months. Most recently, ChatSecure Messenger was updated on September 28, 2026 and Snikket on August 17, 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.*