Comparison

Cipher Message vs Nacho Handles

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

Head to head
About

Cipher Message

Easily encrypt and decrypt messages within your messaging app using various classic ciphers. Protect your conversations with friends and upgrade for advanced encryption methods and Face ID unlock.

Highlights
  • Encrypt/decrypt in iMessage
  • Classic ciphers (Caesar, Vigenère)
  • Advanced ciphers (AES)
  • Face ID unlock
  • Private conversations
Read full description

Cipher Message is an App and iMessage Extension that lets you easily encrypt and decrypt messages right inside the Messages app. Choose from classic ciphers like Caesar and Vigenère, Rail Fence, or Playfair to protect your conversations, or upgrade to Premium to enable AES (password) and add Face ID to lock the message. Simply select your cipher, type your message, set your key, and then encrypted and send to your friends. They can decrypt your message using the same extension, keeping your chats private and fun. Features: - Encrypt and decrypt messages directly in iMessage - Supports Caesar, Vigenère, Rail Fence, and Playfair - Easy-to-use interface - Share encrypted messages with friends - Keep your conversations private Upgrade to Premium to enjoy: - No Ads - Additional Ciphers and Encryption Methods: - AES (set your own password) - Face ID Secondary Encryption (disclaimer: does not use FaceID to encrypt, only requires FaceID of recipient to unlock message)

About

Nacho Handles

Features
Read full description

A new kind of internet address that is truly yours, forever. Every username you have is borrowed. Change platforms, break a rule, or watch a company shut down — and the name goes with it. Nacho handles work differently. You buy a name once, and it's yours. Point it at your payment details, your keys, your site — change them whenever you like, and the name never changes. ONE NAME FOR EVERYTHING - Your socials, your site and getting paid, all behind one handle - Link Bitcoin, Lightning, Nostr, X, Instagram, Bluesky, GitHub and more - Change what it points at any time — the name stays the same OWNERSHIP, NOT RENTAL - One payment. No subscription, no renewal, no expiry - Can't be closed or taken down. Not even by us - No account, no password, no email LOOK ANYONE UP - Type a handle to see everything its owner has published - Every result is verified on your phone, not by a company - Pay someone directly from their handle Ownership is anchored on-chain, so no company can revoke it.

Screenshots

Cipher Message4 screens
Nacho Handles4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nacho Handles at none against Cipher Message's 1. Nacho Handles also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.5). Cipher Message's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months). On price 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. Cipher Message sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Nacho Handles asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cipher Message ships an update fortnightly, Nacho Handles every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Cipher Message versus Nacho Handles: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCipher MessageNacho Handles
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 9 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.516.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB42 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperNathaniel Van EveraImpervious Inc

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cipher Message

One-time1
  • Cipher Message Premium$0.99
None

Nacho Handles

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cipher Message free?
Cipher Message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nacho Handles free?
Nacho Handles is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Cipher Message or Nacho Handles have ads?
Cipher Message shows ads; Nacho Handles does not.
Which is updated more often, Cipher Message or Nacho Handles?
Cipher Message ships an update fortnightly, and Nacho Handles every 9 months. Most recently, Cipher Message was updated on October 1, 2026 and Nacho Handles on October 3, 2026.

Other comparisons