Comparison

GPG Decrypt vs PGPony

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Decrypt GPG-encrypted files
  • Support for private key authentication
  • Secure file handling
  • Display-only decryption
  • Asymmetric encryption support
Features
Read full description

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

About

PGPony

This app simplifies PGP encryption for users on their iPhone. It allows for key generation, secure message and file encryption/decryption, digital signing, and hardware security key integration. All features are available for free.

Highlights
  • Generate PGP keys
  • Encrypt/decrypt messages and files
  • Sign and verify digital documents
  • Hardware security key integration (YubiKey, Token2)
  • Password-only encryption
  • Key management and revocation
  • Share sheet extension for app integration
Features
Read full description

PGPony makes PGP encryption easy, private, and powerful, and every feature is free. Generate keys, encrypt to people or to a password, sign and verify, back up your whole keyring, and revoke compromised keys, all from your iPhone and iPad, in seven languages. New in 8.1.0: iPad support and large files. Encrypt, sign, and decrypt files of any size, including with an RSA hardware key over NFC or USB-C, with progress and cancel. Signing with a passphrase-protected RSA key is fixed. Post-quantum encryption pairs Ed25519 with ML-KEM-768, in RFC 9580 (v6) and LibrePGP versions, private even against future quantum computers. HARDWARE SECURITY KEYS Keep your private key on dedicated hardware, not your phone. Generate a key pair on the card over NFC, or add an existing card with a tap. Sign, decrypt, and encrypt-and-sign in one step, with RSA and ECC (Ed25519/Curve25519) keys, on YubiKey, Token2, and others. Full card admin: change or unblock PINs, factory-reset, and view Card Details. ENCRYPT, DECRYPT & SIGN Encrypt messages and files of any size to any public key, or to a password with no keys at all, readable by gpg -c and back. Decrypt with a private key, a hardware key, or a passphrase, now close to instant even with a large keyring. Sign without encrypting, including detached signatures and large files, and verify a downloaded file against its signature. A signature banner shows who signed on every decrypt, for every key type including RSA. AEAD (OCB) encryption. GENERATE & MANAGE KEYS Create keys on a card or in-app: post-quantum Ed25519 + ML-KEM-768 in v6 and LibrePGP, v6 Ed25519, classic Ed25519 + Cv25519, or RSA 2048/4096. Full OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580), bit-for-bit interoperable with Sequoia PGP and GnuPG. A built-in helper helps you pick the right type. Import from files, clipboard, QR codes, or keyservers, including GnuPG v4 and v6 keys. Make revocation certificates and export private keys (GnuPG-compatible). BACK UP & RESTORE Save your whole keyring, secret keys included, as one encrypted file. A single backup code opens it, and the same file restores onto another iPhone or Android. The file stays with you, never on anyone's server. KEYSERVERS Look up a recipient by email through Web Key Directory, then keys.openpgp.org. Publish to several servers at once, and choose which PGPony searches and publishes to. Route lookups through Tor or a SOCKS proxy, and let background refresh catch revocations. PGPony warns when a server may not accept a newer key type. PASSWORD STORE Open a pass (password-store) folder and browse its entries. Decrypt with a software or hardware key, then copy the password through an auto-clearing clipboard. otpauth URIs are shown, and plaintext is dropped the moment you leave the entry. SHARE SHEET EXTENSION Encrypt or decrypt text, encrypt a file, or sign a file in any app: Safari, Files, Notes, Mail. Messages for your hardware key hand off to the app. SECURITY FIRST Face ID / Touch ID lock with auto-lock. Software keys live in the iOS Keychain (hardware-backed), or on an NFC card instead. iCloud Keychain sync, key expiration reminders, and Contacts auto-matching by email. No analytics, tracking, accounts, or sign-up. Your private keys never leave your device, and with a hardware key they never leave the card. SEVEN LANGUAGES English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. ALL FEATURES INCLUDED Everything is free with no restrictions: Post-quantum keys, on-card generation, and hardware keys (RSA and ECC) Cross-platform encrypted backup and restore, verified signatures including RSA Full OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580), password encryption (gpg -c), multi-keyserver publishing with Tor Detached signing, Password Store, QR exchange, GnuPG import, open-source core, dark mode Built by an indie developer who cares about your privacy. Your keys, your messages, your data, always yours. Terms of Use (EULA): https://pgpony.app/eula.html Privacy Policy: https://pgpony.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

GPG Decrypt4 screens
PGPony4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PGPony at 50% against GPG Decrypt's 0%. GPG Decrypt's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GPG Decrypt ships an update every 3 days, PGPony weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
GPG Decrypt versus PGPony: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGPG DecryptPGPony
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaurent AchKevin Stewart

Customer experience

GPG Decrypt

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

PGPony

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

GPG Decrypt

No in-app purchases

None

PGPony

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GPG Decrypt free?
GPG Decrypt is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PGPony free?
PGPony is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do GPG Decrypt or PGPony have ads?
Neither GPG Decrypt nor PGPony shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GPG Decrypt or PGPony?
GPG Decrypt ships an update every 3 days, and PGPony weekly. Most recently, GPG Decrypt was updated on June 1, 2026 and PGPony on September 16, 2026.

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