Ghost vs Secretly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ghost
This app offers ultra-private messaging and voice calls with end-to-end encryption. It allows anonymous profiles and group chats, collecting minimal metadata for enhanced user discretion.
- End-to-end encryption
- Encrypted voice calling
- Anonymous profiles
- Group chats
- Minimal metadata collection
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Ghost is your ultra-private messaging companion—designed from the ground up for total peace of mind. With Ghost, your conversations stay truly yours: End-to-End Encryption Every message, image, and file is encrypted on your device and only decrypted on the recipient's device. Not even we can read your chats. Encrypted Voice Calling Make crystal-clear, one-on-one voice calls protected by the same encryption standards as your messages. Calls ring through even when your phone is locked, so you never miss an important call. Anonymous Profiles No phone numbers, no email addresses. Connect with friends and communities without revealing personal information. Group Chats Bring your circle together in encrypted group conversations without sacrificing the privacy you expect from every one-on-one chat. Minimal Metadata We collect only what's strictly necessary—such as app version and crash logs—to keep the service running smoothly. No ad tracking. No analytics. Whether you're a privacy advocate, a whistleblower, or simply someone who values discretion, Ghost keeps your conversations—and your calls—private and protected from prying eyes. Download now and start talking with complete confidence.
Secretly
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Secretly is a private messenger that needs no phone number and no email. Your account is a cryptographic key created on your device, and you get a random Secretly ID — nothing that ties your account to your name or your SIM card. NO PHONE NUMBER. NO EMAIL. • Create an account in seconds — no SIM card, no email, no personal details • Add contacts by Secretly ID, QR code or profile link • Your address book is never uploaded • Messages from people you don't know arrive as requests — you decide who can reach you END-TO-END ENCRYPTION • Messages, voice messages and files in private and group chats are end-to-end encrypted with the Double Ratchet algorithm, which provides forward secrecy • One-to-one voice and video calls are end-to-end encrypted • Verify a contact in person by scanning their QR code or comparing security codes; Secretly warns you when a contact's keys change • Your chat database is encrypted on your device YOU DECIDE WHO SEES WHAT • Choose who can see your last-seen time, profile photo and forwarded messages, and who can call you: everyone, your contacts or nobody • Auto-delete messages in any chat after 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days • Lock Secretly with a password, a pattern or Face ID / Touch ID • Keep private conversations in a separately locked "Personal" section • Hide chat content in the app switcher • Delete your account at any time, or let it delete itself after a period of inactivity you choose EVERYTHING YOU EXPECT FROM A MESSENGER • Groups with admins and moderators, invite links, @mentions and pinned messages • Group voice and video calls • Replies, reactions, editing, delete for everyone, forwarding and search • Scheduled and silent messages, chat folders • Voice messages, photos, videos and files • Stickers, including a sticker maker that cuts the subject out of your photo on the device (iOS 17 or later) • Link previews are created by the sender, so your device doesn't fetch links you receive • On-device message translation • Encrypted backups protected by your password, plus a recovery kit to restore your account • A Mac app, linked to your iPhone with a QR code OPEN AND HONEST • No ads, no analytics or advertising SDKs • Open source under AGPL-3.0 — anyone can review the code on GitHub • We publish a threat model listing what Secretly protects against and its known limitations • An independent security audit has not been completed yet — we'd rather tell you than let you assume SECRETLY PREMIUM Secretly is free. Premium is optional and adds voice-message transcription on your device, larger files, bigger groups and group calls, premium sticker packs, and personalisation: themes, accent colours, animated wallpapers, avatar frames, profile covers, app icons and ringtones. Security features are never part of Premium. Premium is available as a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or as a one-time lifetime purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Any unused part of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Secretly works only between Secretly users. It does not send SMS or MMS and does not call phone numbers. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.secretlyapp.com/privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ghost at none against Secretly's 3. On price, update cadence, 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. Secretly sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Ghost asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ghost ships an update every 10 days, Secretly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ghost | Secretly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (6 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 176 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Kacper Oselka | Secretly SIA |
In-app purchases
Ghost
No in-app purchases
Secretly
- Secretly: Premium Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
- Secretly Lifetime Premium$24.99









