# Cipher Message vs Folio

The clearest difference is rating: Cipher Message at 5.0 against Folio's 4.0. Cipher Message also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Folio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.5). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cipher Message sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Folio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cipher Message holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Cipher Message ships an update fortnightly, Folio every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cipher Message | Folio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-message/id6748971173/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folio-smart-notes/id6767529956/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathaniel Van Evera](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827814572) | [Zluck Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1093796022) |

## What reviewers say

### Cipher Message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-message/id6748971173)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cipher Message Premium | $0.99 | one-time |


### Folio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folio-smart-notes/id6767529956)

Capture, organize, and secure your thoughts with a beautiful note-taking app. Features include folders, tags, and device synchronization. Keep your private notes safe with passcode and biometric locking.

**Highlights:** Capture notes quickly, Organize with folders and tags, Lock private notes with passcode/biometrics, Sync across all devices, Offline note-taking, Light and dark mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cipher Message free?

Cipher Message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Folio free?

Folio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cipher Message or Folio?

Cipher Message is rated higher. Cipher Message averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Folio averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Cipher Message or Folio have ads?

Both Cipher Message and Folio show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cipher Message or Folio?

Cipher Message ships an update fortnightly, and Folio every 2 months. Most recently, Cipher Message was updated on October 1, 2026 and Folio on October 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*