Comparison

StegoSafe vs Underlayer

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

Head to head
About

StegoSafe

Features
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StegoSafe hides an encrypted secret inside an ordinary photo. The photo still looks like a photo — the secret rides in bits the eye can't see — so what you protect doesn't announce itself. Everything happens on your device. No account, no sign-in, no servers. Your secret and your password never leave your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. HOW IT WORKS • Type a secret — a recovery phrase, a password, a private note. • Pick a cover photo and choose how to protect it. • StegoSafe encrypts the secret and weaves it into the image. • Save the PNG, share it, or keep it. To read it back, open it in StegoSafe with your credentials. THREE WAYS TO PROTECT • Password — open it on any device, any time, as long as you know the password. • This device only — a key kept on this device behind Face ID / Touch ID. Nothing to phish out of you; nothing to recover if the device is lost. • Face ID / Touch ID + PIN — two factors. Opening needs both the device and a PIN you set. SPLIT ACROSS PHOTOS Break a secret into several share-images and set how many are needed to rebuild it — for example, any 3 of 5. No single photo reveals anything on its own. BUILT FOR PRIVACY • AES-256-GCM encryption, keys derived with PBKDF2-SHA256 (600,000 iterations). • Keep it as a PNG — re-compressing it (as chat apps do) is what destroys the hidden data, so StegoSafe helps you keep the real file. • Nothing is read from an image until you unlock it. A damaged or re-compressed image is reported as damaged — you're never handed a secret that's subtly wrong. IMPORTANT Only you can open your content. If you lose your password — or, for device-bound images, the device — it cannot be recovered, by you or by us. Write your password down somewhere safe. StegoSafe is for lawful, personal use.

About

Underlayer

Features
Read full description

UNDERLAYER - STEGANOGRAPHY MADE SIMPLE Transform ordinary images into secret carriers. Hide confidential messages invisibly within photos and share them through any messenger without raising suspicion. KEY FEATURES: HIDE SECRETS • Embed text messages invisibly into any image • Two encoding modes: Hidden (invisible pixels) and Open (colored frame) • Open mode survives messenger compression (Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.) • Share processed images directly or save to gallery REVEAL MESSAGES • Extract hidden text from steganographic images • Automatic detection of encoding method • Works with images received through messengers • Share intent support - open images directly from gallery WHY UNDERLAYER? • Simple & Intuitive - No cryptography knowledge required • Messenger-Friendly - Open mode designed for compressed sharing • Privacy First - All processing happens locally on your device • Universal - Works with JPG, PNG, WebP formats • No Account Required - Start using immediately USE CASES • Private communication through public channels • Watermarking images with hidden ownership data • Secure note-taking in plain sight • Educational tool for learning steganography • Fun way to send secret messages to friends SECURITY & PRIVACY • No internet connection required for processing • Your messages never leave your device • No data collection or tracking • Complete control over your secrets PREMIUM FEATURES • No banner ads at the bottom • No interstitial ad interruptions • Process unlimited images without ad breaks HOW IT WORKS 1. Select any image from your gallery 2. Enter your secret message 3. Choose encoding mode (Hidden or Open) 4. App embeds message into image pixels 5. Share through messengers or save locally 6. Recipient opens image in Underlayer to reveal message ENCODING MODES EXPLAINED HIDDEN MODE • Message embedded invisibly in image pixels • Completely undetectable to human eye • Best for uncompressed image sharing • Lost when image is compressed by messengers OPEN MODE • Message encoded as colored frame border • Visible as decorative edge around image • Survives Telegram, WhatsApp compression • Recommended for messenger sharing INTERNATIONAL • Available in English and Russian • More languages coming soon • Automatic language detection Whether you're a privacy enthusiast, security professional, or just curious about steganography - Underlayer makes it accessible to everyone. Download now and start hiding your secrets in plain sight! Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

StegoSafe4 screens
Underlayer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Underlayer at Free against StegoSafe's $49.99. Underlayer also leads on update cadence (every 5 months vs every 13 months). StegoSafe's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement 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

Underlayer is free to download; StegoSafe costs $49.99 up front. Underlayer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. StegoSafe asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StegoSafe ships an update every 13 months, Underlayer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 2 level
StegoSafe versus Underlayer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStegoSafeUnderlayer
Price$49.99Free — better
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB169 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNEXATECH AI EFFICIENCY SERVICES LTD.Mihail Rukavishnikov

In-app purchases

None

StegoSafe

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Underlayer

Subscriptions1
  • Premium$2.997 Days

Questions

Is StegoSafe free?
StegoSafe costs $49.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Underlayer free?
Underlayer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do StegoSafe or Underlayer have ads?
Underlayer shows ads; StegoSafe does not.
Which is updated more often, StegoSafe or Underlayer?
StegoSafe ships an update every 13 months, and Underlayer every 5 months. Most recently, StegoSafe was updated on September 23, 2026 and Underlayer on September 12, 2026.

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