Comparison

Kryptos Tools vs Cipher Message

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

Head to head
About

Kryptos Tools

This app offers a comprehensive suite of classic cryptography tools, including Vigenère and Transposition ciphers, to help users explore and potentially solve complex puzzles. It consolidates features from previous versions and provides detailed information on famous unsolved codes.

Highlights
  • Classic cipher implementations
  • Vigenère cipher
  • Transposition Matrix
  • Detailed puzzle information
  • Sixteen classic ciphers
  • Future cipher additions
Features
Read full description

Kryptos Tools combines the best features of the previous two apps (Kryptos Tools - Vigenère and Kryptos Tools - Transposition) along with additional details, documents and photos consolidated into one great app. Kryptos Tools includes classic ciphers, like the Vigenère cipher, that was used to encrypt the first two sections of Kryptos (K1 and K2). It also includes the Transposition Matrix which provides a visual implementation of the Transposition cipher for solving Kryptos section K3. Kryptos Tools now contains sixteen (16) classic ciphers: * Affine * Atbash * Beaufort (plus Autokey variant) * Bifid * Caesar * Columnar Transposition * Four-square * Gronsfeld (plus Autokey variant) * Hill * One-Time Pad * Playfair * ROT13 (Rotate-13) * Substitution * Transposition Matrix * Trifid * Vigenère (plus Autokey variant) Additional ciphers and utilities will be added in future releases. Detailed solutions and information about these sections of the puzzle are also detailed within. Kryptos is a sculpture by the American artist Jim Sanborn located on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Langley, Virginia. Since the dedication of Kryptos on November 3, 1990, the first three sections have been successfully decrypted. However, the fourth section remains one of the most famous unsolved codes in the world. Are you going to be the one to solve this mystery?

About

Cipher Message

Easily encrypt and decrypt messages within your messaging app using various classic ciphers. Protect your conversations with friends and upgrade for advanced encryption methods and Face ID unlock.

Highlights
  • Encrypt/decrypt in iMessage
  • Classic ciphers (Caesar, Vigenère)
  • Advanced ciphers (AES)
  • Face ID unlock
  • Private conversations
Read full description

Cipher Message is an App and iMessage Extension that lets you easily encrypt and decrypt messages right inside the Messages app. Choose from classic ciphers like Caesar and Vigenère, Rail Fence, or Playfair to protect your conversations, or upgrade to Premium to enable AES (password) and add Face ID to lock the message. Simply select your cipher, type your message, set your key, and then encrypted and send to your friends. They can decrypt your message using the same extension, keeping your chats private and fun. Features: - Encrypt and decrypt messages directly in iMessage - Supports Caesar, Vigenère, Rail Fence, and Playfair - Easy-to-use interface - Share encrypted messages with friends - Keep your conversations private Upgrade to Premium to enjoy: - No Ads - Additional Ciphers and Encryption Methods: - AES (set your own password) - Face ID Secondary Encryption (disclaimer: does not use FaceID to encrypt, only requires FaceID of recipient to unlock message)

Screenshots

Kryptos Tools4 screens
Cipher Message4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kryptos Tools at none against Cipher Message's 1. Kryptos Tools also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (7 vs 2). Cipher Message's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Cipher Message sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Kryptos Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cipher Message holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kryptos Tools ships an update monthly, Cipher Message fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Kryptos Tools versus Cipher Message: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKryptos ToolsCipher Message
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (7 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better2
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.618.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB21 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperJeffrey WilliamsNathaniel Van Evera

Customer experience

Kryptos Tools

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral14.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Cipher Message

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Kryptos Tools

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Cipher Message

One-time1
  • Cipher Message Premium$0.99

Questions

Is Kryptos Tools free?
Kryptos Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cipher Message free?
Cipher Message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kryptos Tools or Cipher Message?
Cipher Message is rated higher. Kryptos Tools averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Cipher Message averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Kryptos Tools or Cipher Message have ads?
Cipher Message shows ads; Kryptos Tools does not.
Which is updated more often, Kryptos Tools or Cipher Message?
Kryptos Tools ships an update monthly, and Cipher Message fortnightly. Most recently, Kryptos Tools was updated on October 4, 2026 and Cipher Message on October 1, 2026.

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