# SecretShield vs Cipher

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cipher at none against SecretShield's 4. Cipher also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). SecretShield's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SecretShield sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Cipher asks for nothing beyond the download.

SecretShield ships an update every 3 weeks, Cipher every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SecretShield | Cipher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 38 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Secret Shield Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1765046506) | [DGL Factor](https://appshunter.io/developer/6801650956) |

## What reviewers say

### SecretShield

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secretshield/id6670149348)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic | $19.99 | per month |
| Inheritance | $49.99 | per month |
| Basic | $199.00 | per year |
| Inheritance | $499.00 | per year |


### Cipher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-password-vault/id6751274317)

Securely store and encrypt sensitive text files, passwords, and crypto keys. Access your protected information across devices with cloud sync, even when offline. Your data remains private and under your control with strong AES-based encryption.

**Highlights:** Encrypt notes, texts, passwords, crypto keys, and recovery phrases, Import text files for encryption, Search across encrypted items, Cloud Sync across devices, Offline access to encrypted content, AES-based encryption

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SecretShield free?

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

### Is Cipher free?

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

### Do SecretShield or Cipher have ads?

Neither SecretShield nor Cipher shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SecretShield or Cipher?

SecretShield ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cipher every 4 months. Most recently, SecretShield was updated on October 4, 2026 and Cipher on October 10, 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.*