Comparison

Giist vs Hugin Messenger

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

Head to head
About

Giist

Features
Read full description

Giist is a groundbreaking new way to share online that gives readers full control of what they see (no opaque algorithm), and writers full control over their posts and the ensuing conversation; it is built from the ground up to minimize trolls, bots and online abuse; it provides a central place to share from all over the web (including other social media); and it encourages knowledge-building by allowing edits, other users to suggest edits, version tracking, a robust user-generated graph of topics, as well as keeping private notes with the same rich formatting and powerful search features. Giist has a freemium model, with free coins given to users daily, and more available for purchase if desired (web only), so it can avoid ads or sharing user information with marketers.

About

Hugin Messenger

Experience secure, decentralized communication with this peer-to-peer chat service. Connect with friends and communities through encrypted direct and group messages, all without central servers or personal data collection. Enjoy crystal-clear voice and video calls and a decentralized social feed.

Highlights
  • Peer-to-peer communication
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Voice and video calls
  • Decentralized social feed
  • Zero sign-up required
  • No personal data collection
Features
Read full description

Hugin Messenger is a privacy-focused, peer-to-peer chat service built for secure, decentralized communication. Connect with your friends and communities in group chats and direct messages — all without relying on central servers. *** Why Hugin? *** True Peer-to-Peer Communication - No servers. No middlemen. Your data never touches a third party. End-to-End Encryption by Default - Messages and calls are secured using modern encryption technologies. Crystal Clear Voice & Video Calls - Enjoy high-quality, low-latency calls with no compromise on privacy. Decentralized Social Feed - Discover new discussions and connect with others using the Hugin Feed — no algorithms, no tracking. Zero Sign-Up, Zero Tracking - No phone number. No email. No identity required. We don’t collect or store any personal data. Powered by a Global P2P Network - Built on top of a resilient, decentralized infrastructure — your messages flow directly between devices. Take back control of your conversations. - Download Hugin Messenger and experience private communication without compromise.

Screenshots

Giist3 screens
Hugin Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hugin Messenger at none against Giist's 1. Hugin Messenger also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). Giist's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price and ads 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. Giist sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hugin Messenger asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Giist ships an update every 6 weeks, Hugin Messenger weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Giist versus Hugin Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGiistHugin Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB92 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperGiist Social Knowledge, IncHarry Eriksson

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Giist

One-time1
  • 100 Coins$9.99
None

Hugin Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Giist free?
Giist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hugin Messenger free?
Hugin Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Giist or Hugin Messenger have ads?
Neither Giist nor Hugin Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Giist or Hugin Messenger?
Giist ships an update every 6 weeks, and Hugin Messenger weekly. Most recently, Giist was updated on November 3, 2026 and Hugin Messenger on October 30, 2026.

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