# Encrypt.me vs Smart

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart at none against Encrypt.me's 3. Smart also leads on ads (none vs shown). Encrypt.me's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 22%) and ratings volume (5.7K vs 4). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Encrypt.me sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Smart asks for nothing beyond the download.

Encrypt.me holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Encrypt.me has 5.7K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Encrypt.me's written reviews are positive against 22% of Smart's.

Encrypt.me ships an update every 2 months, Smart every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Encrypt.me | Smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (5.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encryptme/id473835722/reviews)** | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-vpn/id1071356755/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.7K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **52.4% of reviews** | 22.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 17 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cloak Holdings LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1244168275) | [DrayTek Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/878568778) |

## What reviewers say

### Encrypt.me

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encryptme/id473835722)

This app provides a simple and secure way to protect your online data, especially on public Wi-Fi. It automatically secures your connection when you use untrusted networks, offering peace of mind for your on-the-go activities. Enjoy effortless online security with a minimal interface and cloud-synced preferences across your devices.

**Highlights:** Auto-secure on untrusted networks, Effortless online security management, Cloud-synced preferences, Data encryption, Minimal user interface

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Week Pass | $3.99 | one-time |
| Month Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Year Pass | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Provides security on public WiFi
- 👍 Automatic connection on untrusted networks
- 🚀 Fast and reliable
- 👍 Seamless integration across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes often
- 🐛 Fails to detect network changes
- 🐛 Unreliable performance
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Certificate expiration issues
- Inability to connect to home/trusted networks
- Disconnects frequently, requires constant reconnection

**Requested features**

- Pause/resume VPN functionality
- Improved compatibility with hotel/public WiFi logins
- Ability to bypass VPN for specific apps or websites


### Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-vpn/id1071356755)

This VPN client connects to DrayTek Vigor routers, supporting advanced protocols like IKEv2-EAP and IPsec-XAuth. It requires a compatible Vigor router and an iOS device running version 9 or higher.

**Highlights:** Connects to Vigor routers, Supports IKEv2-EAP, Supports IPsec-XAuth, Supports DrayTek SSL VPN, iOS 9+ compatible

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Encrypt.me free?

Encrypt.me is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Smart free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Encrypt.me or Smart?

Encrypt.me is rated higher. Encrypt.me averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.7K ratings, while Smart averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do Encrypt.me or Smart have ads?

Encrypt.me shows ads; Smart does not.

### Which is updated more often, Encrypt.me or Smart?

Encrypt.me ships an update every 2 months, and Smart every 3 months. Most recently, Encrypt.me was updated on October 7, 2026 and Smart on October 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*