# Dark18 vs Pair Orbit

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pair Orbit at none against Dark18's 6. Pair Orbit also leads on ads (none vs shown). Dark18's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dark18 sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Pair Orbit asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dark18 ships an update weekly, Pair Orbit every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dark18 | Pair Orbit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark18/id6749346497/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **165** | — |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 130 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ana Lucila Gomez Navarro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830136813) | [Yusuf Kaleem Khan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1880616928) |

## What reviewers say

### Dark18

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark18/id6749346497)

A private messenger offering secure end-to-end encrypted chats, HD voice and video calls, and community groups. Share updates through stories that disappear after 24 hours, all within a sleek, dark-themed interface. It's designed for users who prioritize privacy and freedom in their communication.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, HD voice and video calls, Private and public groups, 24-hour disappearing stories, Dark-themed interface, Secure sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium Access | $8.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Access | $90.99 | per year |
| Weekly Premium Access | $5.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Premium Access | $8.99 | one-time |
| Yearly Premium Access | $99.99 | one-time |


### Pair Orbit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pair-orbit/id6759783186)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dark18 free?

Dark18 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pair Orbit free?

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

### Do Dark18 or Pair Orbit have ads?

Dark18 shows ads; Pair Orbit does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dark18 or Pair Orbit?

Dark18 ships an update weekly, and Pair Orbit every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dark18 was updated on October 12, 2026 and Pair Orbit on October 6, 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.*