# Cipher vs Dark Message Crypto Chat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dark Message Crypto Chat at none against Cipher's 2. Dark Message Crypto Chat also leads on update cadence (every 6 months vs every 14 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cipher sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Dark Message Crypto Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cipher ships an update every 14 months, Dark Message Crypto Chat every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cipher | Dark Message Crypto Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-message-crypto-chat/id6760596467/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 19 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Steel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1719338589) | [aleksandr bronnikov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885003900) |

## What reviewers say

### Cipher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-ai-watch-assistant/id6751438017)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cipher Full Access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Cipher Full Access (Lifetime) | $29.99 | one-time |


### Dark Message Crypto Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-message-crypto-chat/id6760596467)

Securely encrypt messages, photos, and documents offline using military-grade encryption. Share encrypted content through any app, and recipients can decrypt it with a shared passphrase. Protect your private conversations and confidential documents without needing an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Offline encryption for messages, photos, and documents, AES-256-GCM military-grade encryption, PBKDF2 brute-force protection, No internet permissions, Secure passphrase storage in iOS Keychain, Supports various document types

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cipher free?

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

### Is Dark Message Crypto Chat free?

Dark Message Crypto Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Cipher or Dark Message Crypto Chat have ads?

Neither Cipher nor Dark Message Crypto Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cipher or Dark Message Crypto Chat?

Cipher ships an update every 14 months, and Dark Message Crypto Chat every 6 months. Most recently, Cipher was updated on October 24, 2026 and Dark Message Crypto Chat on October 20, 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.*