# Zhi vs MetaKey

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MetaKey at none against Zhi's 2. Zhi's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Zhi sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. MetaKey asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zhi | MetaKey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zhi/id6737972651/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 185 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [TxThinking, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634589596) | [METAKEY  TECHNOLOGY - FZCO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810969118) |

## What reviewers say

### Zhi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zhi/id6737972651)

This secure messaging app prioritizes privacy with zero-trust, end-to-end encryption and pre-shared keys. It offers isolated chats and invites only friends, with an optional subscription for enhanced features like larger file transfers and unlimited chats.

**Highlights:** Zero-trust end-to-end encryption, Pre-shared key authentication, Isolated chat environments, Invite-only friend system, Optional subscription for enhanced features, Markdown support for messages

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zhi Plus Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Zhi Plus Year | $49.99 | per year |


### MetaKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metakey/id6745142533)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zhi free?

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

### Is MetaKey free?

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

### Do Zhi or MetaKey have ads?

Neither Zhi nor MetaKey shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zhi or MetaKey?

Zhi ships an update every 2 months, and MetaKey every 2 months. Most recently, Zhi was updated on October 30, 2026 and MetaKey on October 28, 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.*