GPG Decrypt vs CipherX
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GPG Decrypt
Securely decrypt GPG-encrypted files on your iPhone or iPad. Transfer your encrypted documents and private key, then use the app to view sensitive content without permanent storage on your device.
- Decrypt GPG-encrypted files
- Support for private key authentication
- Secure file handling
- Display-only decryption
- Asymmetric encryption support
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This app is designed to allow you to read on your iPhone, files that have been encrypted on your Mac using GPG. The workflow is: 1. Encrypt a file on your Mac using GPG (AEAD - Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data, is not supported at the moment, see support page). 2. Transfer the encrypted file and your private key to your iPhone (using iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or any other cloud storage service) 3. Use this app to decrypt and view the file content on your iPhone This is particularly useful for securely accessing sensitive documents on your iPhone without storing the decrypted content permanently on the device. Features - Decrypt GPG-encrypted files - Support for private key authentication - Secure file handling with security-scoped resources - Display-only decryption (no persistent storage of decrypted content) Usage 1. Select the encrypted file you want to decrypt 2. Select your private key file 3. Enter the passphrase for your private key 4. Tap "Decrypt" to decrypt the file 5. The decrypted content will be displayed on screen. It is not saved to your device. GPG ([GNU Privacy Guard](https://gnupg.org/)) is a widely used open-source implementation of the OpenPGP standard. This app only supports asymmetric encryption (public/private key). It cannot decrypt files that were encrypted using symmetric encryption (password-only encryption). Using GPG on Mac OS - Install GnuPG: brew install gnupg - Generate a new GPG key: gpg --full-generate-key - Choose option 1 (RSA and RSA) - Choose 4096 bits - Choose 0 (key does not expire) - Enter your name and email - Enter a secure passphrase - Export your private key (required for decryption on iPhone): gpg --export-secret-keys --armor your-email@example.com > private_key.asc - Replace `your-email@example.com` with the email you used when creating the key - Enter your passphrase when prompted - The private key will be saved to `private_key.asc` - Transfer this file to your iPhone for use with the app - Encrypting a file: gpg --encrypt --recipient your-email@example.com your_file.txt - This creates `your_file.txt.gpg` - Transfer this encrypted file to your iPhone for decryption with the app Decrypting a file on Mac: gpg --decrypt your_file.txt.gpg > decrypted_file.txt - This will prompt for your private key passphrase - The decrypted content will be saved to `decrypted_file.txt` Transferring files to iPhone You can transfer the encrypted file and private key to your iPhone using various cloud storage services: - iCloud Drive - Dropbox - Google Drive - OneDrive - Or any other cloud storage service that provides iOS file access Security - All file operations use security-scoped resources - Passphrase is never stored - Files are copied to the app's documents directory for processing - Decrypted content is only displayed and not saved to the device - No persistent storage of sensitive information
CipherX
Securely encrypt and decrypt messages to ensure only the intended recipient can read them. Share protected messages through any communication channel, then allow the recipient to decrypt them within the app. Built for strong privacy without complexity.
- Message encryption and decryption
- Shareable secure codes
- Modern encryption standards
- Secure key generation
- Saved contacts
- Secure data wiping
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CipherX is a simple app for securely encrypting and decrypting messages—so only the intended person can read them. It doesn’t lock you into a chat platform. Instead, CipherX lets you protect a message and share it however you want: text message, email, handwritten note, or even read aloud over a phone call. How it works: • Add a contact and encrypt your message • CipherX turns it into a secure code • Send that code any way you like • The recipient pastes it into CipherX to read the original message Key features: • Modern, industry-standard encryption (P-384 ECC + HPKE) • Secure key generation • Saved contacts for easy reuse • Secure data wiping • Apple Keychain protection CipherX is built for people who want strong privacy without complicated tools.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: CipherX at 100% against GPG Decrypt's 0%. GPG Decrypt's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
GPG Decrypt ships an update every 3 days, CipherX every 2 months. Both last shipped on June 1, 2026.
| Parameter | GPG Decrypt | CipherX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Laurent Ach | Nicolas Deleasa |
Customer experience
GPG Decrypt
CipherX
In-app purchases
GPG Decrypt
No in-app purchases
CipherX
No in-app purchases









