Comparison

Stego vs GhostCode

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

Head to head
About

Stego

Features
Read full description

Stego lets you hide private text or images inside ordinary photos and extract them later on your iPhone or iPad. Your cover images and hidden payloads are processed on your deviceβ€”they are not uploaded to Japality Limited. CHOOSE YOUR WORKFLOW β€’ LSB-1 for lossless PNG workflows β€’ DCT and GN-QIM for JPEG and recompressed sharing scenarios β€’ Social Media Mode to prepare images for apps that may resize uploads β€’ Optional error correction for tougher recovery FEATURES β€’ Hide text, notes, or an image inside another image β€’ Extract hidden content from stego images β€’ UTF-8 support, including Chinese and emoji β€’ Warnings when a cover image is too flat for reliable embedding FREE & STEGO PRO Stego is free to use with ads. Stego Pro (monthly or yearly subscription) removes banner, interstitial, and app-open ads. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage subscriptions in Settings β†’ Apple ID β†’ Subscriptions, or in Stego β†’ Settings β†’ Stego Pro. PRIVACY See our Privacy Policy for how ads (Google AdMob) and subscriptions (RevenueCat) handle data. Steganography operations themselves stay on your device. IMPORTANT Stego is for lawful personal use only. You are responsible for complying with applicable laws. Steganography is not encryptionβ€”anyone with the original file may detect or lose hidden data if the image is recompressed. Support: https://app.japality.com/stego/i/support/ Privacy: https://app.japality.com/stego/i/privacy_policy/ Terms: https://app.japality.com/stego/i/terms/

About

GhostCode

Features
Read full description

Send a photo everyone can see. Hide a message only your person can read. GhostCode hides a real, encrypted message inside an ordinary photo. Write up to 4,000 characters, pick any picture, and set a Key. You get back a photo that looks completely normal. Text it, post it, share it anywhere. Only someone with GhostCode and your Key can open what is inside. One image. Two audiences. You decide who gets the real meaning. WHAT PEOPLE USE IT FOR β€’ A love note hidden inside the photo you send every morning β€’ A scavenger hunt clue only the birthday person can unlock β€’ A members-only drop for your fans behind one ordinary picture β€’ The wifi password for your houseguests, inside the welcome photo β€’ A whole letter, not a one-liner: up to 4,000 characters per photo HOW IT WORKS 1. Write your message and pick a photo (or a QR code) 2. Set a Key, a passphrase only you and your people know 3. Share the photo anywhere, like any other photo 4. They open it in GhostCode, enter the Key, and unlock the real message MORE THAN PHOTOS β€’ Pixel Ghosting: on-device AI bonds your encrypted message to the picture, and the photo looks identical to the naked eye β€’ QR mode: pack your message into a QR code that scans on any phone β€’ Decoy Link (QR): one code, two destinations. Everyone gets a public page, people with the Key get the real one β€’ Failsafe: a decoy Key reveals an alternate message β€’ Self-destruct: a reveal stops working after the window you choose PRIVATE BY DESIGN β€’ No account, no sign-up, no login β€’ Your readable message and your Key never leave your device β€’ Strong, standard encryption (AES-256-GCM with passphrase hardening) β€’ Sensitive screens are protected, and data deletion is honored in-app GHOST MODE (optional upgrade) GhostCode is free to use, with some limits. Ghost Mode unlocks unlimited protected creates, unlimited saved Keys, Decoy Link, extended self-destruct timers, and Failsafe filters. Ghost Mode is a subscription billed weekly or yearly (with a free trial on the weekly plan). It renews automatically unless cancelled, and you can manage or cancel anytime from your store account. Full terms are shown on the purchase screen. A NOTE ON HOW IT STAYS SECURE Revealing a protected message needs a one-time check with GhostCode's verification service, which stops brute-force guessing and lets messages self-destruct or be revoked. GhostCode never sees your Key or your readable message. For photo (Pixel Ghosting) messages, your encrypted message is stored on GhostCode's servers for the message's lifetime, so it can be revealed and auto-deleted; it stays encrypted and cannot be read without your Key. It is deleted at self-destruct or expiry, or right away when you request data deletion. Questions or feedback? support@moonsailsoftware.com Privacy Policy: https://moonsailsoftware.com/ghostcode/privacy/ Terms: https://moonsailsoftware.com/ghostcode/terms/

Screenshots

Stego4 screens
GhostCode4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Stego sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and GhostCode sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stego ships an update every 6 weeks, GhostCode fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Stego versus GhostCode: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStegoGhostCode
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly β€” better
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.1 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size51 MB108 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJapality LimitedMoonsail Software LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Stego

Subscriptions2
  • Stego Pro (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • Stego Pro (Yearly)$14.991 Year
4 purchases

GhostCode

Subscriptions3
  • Ghost Mode Weekly3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Ghost Mode (Annual)1 Year trial$24.991 Year
  • Ghost Mode Annual$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Create Pack$1.99

Questions

Is Stego free?
Stego is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GhostCode free?
GhostCode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Stego or GhostCode have ads?
Stego shows ads; GhostCode does not.
Which is updated more often, Stego or GhostCode?
Stego ships an update every 6 weeks, and GhostCode fortnightly. Most recently, Stego was updated on October 20, 2026 and GhostCode on October 24, 2026.

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