GPG Decrypt vs Pocket
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
Securely encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify messages and files directly on your device. Manage PGP keys locally for enhanced privacy and control, with options for handling larger files and unlimited key storage through in-app purchases.
- Create and manage PGP keys locally
- Encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify messages
- Encrypt and decrypt files
- Support for large files with Chunk Mode
- Organize and manage keyring
- Channel-independent encryption
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Pocket PGP brings OpenPGP encryption to your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Silicon Mac: direct, private, and under your control. Create, import, and manage PGP keys directly on your device. Encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify messages with greater privacy and control. Core cryptographic operations run locally on your device, without relying on external servers for the actual encryption and decryption process. Features: - Create OpenPGP key pairs directly on your device - Import public and private keys as plain text or from .asc files - Encrypt messages for one or multiple recipients - Decrypt messages locally on your device - See signature verification details, including which key signed a message - Sign cleartext messages - Verify clear-signed PGP messages - Optionally remember private-key passphrases on this device after successful decryption - Share results after encrypting, decrypting, signing, or verifying - Encrypt and decrypt regular files up to 125 MB on iPhone and iPad - Encrypt and decrypt regular files up to 200 MB on Apple Silicon Macs - Create and open app-specific Pocket PGP .ppgp packages with Chunk Mode - Use Chunk Mode for larger files up to 750 MB per package - Organize and manage your keyring with ease - Switch the app language between English and German Pocket PGP is channel-independent. Encrypt or sign your content first, then share or send it through email, messaging apps, notes, cloud drives, or any other channel. Regular file encryption uses OpenPGP-compatible file encryption. For larger files, Chunk Mode creates Pocket PGP .ppgp packages. These packages are app-specific and can be opened with Pocket PGP. The app can be downloaded and tested for free with plain text encryption. The free version is limited to a maximum of two stored keys and does not include file-encryption. In-App Purchases: - Premium unlocks unlimited key storage and bulk import - File Encryption unlocks regular file encryption and decryption (maximum supported file size: 125 MB per file on capable iPhone and iPad, 200 MB on Apple Silicon Macs) - Chunk Mode unlocks app-specific large-file .ppgp packages (maximum supported file size: 750 MB per package) - Pro Bundle unlocks Premium, File Encryption, and Chunk Mode in one purchase No user accounts. No cloud key storage. No analytics tracking. Your private keys stay under your control.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pocket at 100% against GPG Decrypt's 0%. Pocket also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). GPG Decrypt's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, ads and device support 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. Pocket sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. GPG Decrypt asks for nothing beyond the download.
GPG Decrypt ships an update every 3 days, Pocket weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GPG Decrypt | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.2 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Laurent Ach | MAGNUS FINSTAD |
Customer experience
GPG Decrypt
In-app purchases
GPG Decrypt
No in-app purchases
- File encryption (125MB)$1.99
- Chunk Mode (750 MB)$1.99
- Pocket PGP Pro (Unlimited keys)$1.99
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- Pro Bundle$4.99








