# ChatSecure Messenger vs Hi

The clearest difference is rating: ChatSecure Messenger at 4.2 against Hi's 3.1. ChatSecure Messenger also leads on ratings volume (282 vs 47) and device support (4 vs 2). Hi's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

ChatSecure Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChatSecure Messenger has 282 ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of ChatSecure Messenger's written reviews are positive against 57% of Hi'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, Hi every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChatSecure Messenger | Hi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (282 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatsecure-messenger/id464200063/reviews)** | [3.1 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hi-instant-messenger/id691200877/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **282** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | **57.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 34 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Ballinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/433040866) | [Hi Technology, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/933438248) |

## 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


### Hi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hi-instant-messenger/id691200877)

This free communication app enables WiFi calls and video calls with friends, along with text, voice, and media messaging. It offers unlimited international calling, HD video, and extensive cloud storage for photos and videos, all without ads or hidden costs.

**Highlights:** Free WiFi calls and video calls, Text, voice, image, and video messaging, Unlimited international calling, 720p HD video calls, 10,000 GB free video cloud storage, Instant photo/video sharing, Message storage for offline access

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Great app for calling and messaging
- 🚀 Crystal clear voice quality
- 👍 Easy to use and personalize

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Verification code not received
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inability to send/receive messages and photos
- 🐛 Accounts getting logged out randomly

**Reported bugs**

- Verification code not being sent
- Calls getting disconnected or not connecting
- Cloud storage issues with photos and videos
- Compatibility problems with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add video calling functionality
- Implement read/delivery receipts for messages
- Allow deleting entire conversation history
- Improve notification system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChatSecure Messenger free?

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

### Is Hi free?

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

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

ChatSecure Messenger is rated higher. ChatSecure Messenger averages 4.2 out of 5 from 282 ratings, while Hi averages 3.1 from 47 ratings.

### Do ChatSecure Messenger or Hi have ads?

Neither ChatSecure Messenger nor Hi shows ads.

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

ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, and Hi every 4 days. Most recently, ChatSecure Messenger was updated on October 15, 2026 and Hi on October 19, 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.*