Comparison

Ghost vs Secretly

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Encrypted voice calling
  • Anonymous profiles
  • Group chats
  • Minimal metadata collection
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Secretly

Features
Read full description

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

Ghost4 screens
Secretly4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Secretly sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Ghost asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ghost ships an update every 10 days, Secretly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Ghost versus Secretly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGhostSecretly
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (6 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB176 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperKacper OselkaSecretly SIA

In-app purchases

None

Ghost

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Secretly

Subscriptions2
  • Secretly: Premium Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Secretly Lifetime Premium$24.99

Questions

Is Ghost free?
Ghost is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Secretly free?
Secretly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ghost or Secretly have ads?
Neither Ghost nor Secretly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ghost or Secretly?
Ghost ships an update every 10 days, and Secretly weekly. Most recently, Ghost was updated on November 8, 2026 and Secretly on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons