AdGuard DNS vs cryptoscreen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AdGuard DNS
This utility app connects your devices to a secure DNS server that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites. It offers enhanced privacy and protection across your entire network without collecting user data. Ideal for individuals and organizations seeking a cleaner, safer online experience.
- Blocks ads and trackers
- Protects against malicious domains
- Works across all devices
- Privacy-focused, no data collection
- Easy network-wide protection
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This app works in tandem with AdGuard DNS. To use it, you need an AdGuard DNS account. Sign up or log in at https://adguard-dns.io. AdGuard DNS lets you connect to a secure, privacy-oriented DNS server that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious domains. It works on all devices — phones, tablets, laptops, and routers — with no restrictions. It is perfect for protecting your home network and convenient for schools, universities, or companies that need to manage multiple devices consistently. Privacy first: we do not track users, collect personal data, or embed third-party analytics or advertising SDKs. Learn more in our Privacy policy: https://adguard-dns.io/privacy.html. Need help or have questions? Visit our support center: https://adguard-dns.io/support.html. Learn more about AdGuard DNS on our website: https://adguard-dns.io.
cryptoscreen
This app creates secure, self-destructing notes that are encrypted locally before being shared. Both a link and a PIN are required to access the message, which is then deleted after a single successful read. It offers enhanced privacy features like screenshot detection.
- Local encryption before upload
- Link and PIN required for access
- One-time read deletion
- Screenshot detection
- Message destruction after failed PIN attempts
- Link expiration
- Encrypted image attachments (Pro)
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cryptoscreen is a private note app for messages that should not last. Write a note, choose a six-digit PIN, and cryptoscreen encrypts the message on your iPhone before it leaves the device. Share the generated link and send the PIN separately. The recipient can read it once in the iOS app, with an App Clip, or in a web browser when you allow web reading. No app download is needed for browser reading. CHOOSE HOW YOUR MESSAGE CAN BE READ Allow app and web reading for easier sharing, or choose app-only reading. Both the link and the PIN are required. Web-enabled messages are decrypted in the recipient's browser and become unavailable for another read after they are opened. ONE-TIME MESSAGES - Encrypt notes locally before upload. - Open normal messages once, then make them unavailable to other readers. - Destroy a message after the third wrong PIN attempt. - Let unopened links expire after the retention window. - Check availability in Sent Messages, including messages opened on the web. GUARDED READING ON iOS The iOS app and App Clip use a guarded reader to reduce casual screen exposure. The reader clears when iOS reports a screenshot. Screenshot protection is best-effort: iOS reports normal screenshots after capture. Browsers cannot provide the app's screenshot detection or capture protection, and no app can protect against external cameras or compromised devices. TEXT IS FREE. IMAGE SENDING IS PRO. Send text-only messages and read received text and images for free. Pro lets senders attach encrypted images. Restore purchases and manage your subscription from Settings. cryptoscreen does not require accounts, profiles, or contact lists. Messages are encrypted before upload; the service stores encrypted content and the metadata needed for expiry, PIN attempts, and message availability. Optional interaction-status sharing is off by default. Support: https://cryptoscreen.app/support Privacy Policy: https://cryptoscreen.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: cryptoscreen at 100% against AdGuard DNS's 37%. cryptoscreen also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7). AdGuard DNS's advantage is ratings volume (35 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
cryptoscreen holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AdGuard DNS has 35 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of AdGuard DNS's written reviews are positive against 100% of cryptoscreen's.
AdGuard DNS ships an update every 2 weeks, cryptoscreen every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AdGuard DNS | cryptoscreen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (35 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 35 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 87 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Adguard Software Limited | Domenico Marco Di Donna |
Customer experience
AdGuard DNS
cryptoscreen
In-app purchases
AdGuard DNS
No in-app purchases
cryptoscreen
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AdGuard DNS free?
Is cryptoscreen free?
Which has better reviews, AdGuard DNS or cryptoscreen?
Do AdGuard DNS or cryptoscreen have ads?
Which is updated more often, AdGuard DNS or cryptoscreen?
Other comparisons
