Comparison

Smoke vs Nuco Messenger

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

Head to head
About

Smoke

Features
Read full description

Your messages deserve better. Smoke is a privacy-first messaging app where your conversations stay privateβ€”even from us. End-to-End Encrypted All text messages are encrypted on your device before they're sent. Only you and your recipient can read them. We can't decrypt them. Nobody can. Messages That Disappear Every message automatically vanishes after 48 hours. No endless chat history. No digital footprint. Just conversations that fade away like smoke. No Email. No Phone Number. No Tracking. Create your account with just a username. We don't collect your email, phone number, or personal information. Your identity is yours alone. - Send disappearing text messages - Share photos and videos that expire - Get notified when someone takes a screenshot - See when friends are viewing your messages Friends Only Add friends by username, QR code, or friend request. No spam. No strangers. Just people you choose. Built for Privacy - Screenshot detection alerts - Keys stored securely in your device's keychain - Messages blur after viewing - No ads. No data mining. No surveillance. Ephemeral by Design Everything disappears. Messages, photos, videosβ€”all gone within 48 hours. Have real conversations without the permanent record. Why Smoke? Because your private conversations shouldn't be stored forever in some company's database. Because you shouldn't need to hand over your phone number to send a message. Because privacy should be the default, not a premium feature. Smoke uses military-grade encryption (Curve25519-XSalsa20-Poly1305) to protect your messages. Your private keys never leave your device. We built Smoke because we believe privacy is a right, not a luxury. Perfect for: - Private conversations with friends - Sharing moments that don't need to last forever - Anyone who values digital privacy - People tired of being tracked and monitored Download Smoke and take back your privacy. --- Privacy Policy: http://chiseltheory.com/smokeprivacy.html Support: support@chiseltheory.com Β© 2025 Chisel Theory LLC. Your messages, your privacy, your choice.

About

Nuco Messenger

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Nuco is a private 1:1 messenger built around one idea: no one but you and the person you are talking to should be able to read your messages. Not us, not the server, not anyone who takes the device. Every message is sealed on your device by libsignal, the engine behind the Signal Protocol, with post quantum key agreement (PQXDH): even someone recording your traffic today gains nothing from a future quantum computer. A message can only be opened on your device and your contact's device. The relay that carries your messages is untrusted by design: it only ever sees unreadable ciphertext, and it never holds a key that could decrypt anything. Why people choose Nuco: - End to end encryption on every message, with in person verification so you can confirm you are really talking to your contact. - Disappearing messages: set a timer and messages delete themselves from both devices. - Screenshot protection: agree with your contact to block screenshots and screen recording in a chat, on both devices. - On device only: your history lives in an encrypted database on your phone. There is no cloud backup to leak or subpoena. - App lock: unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or a PIN. Locking closes the encrypted database and drops the key from memory, so a locked phone reveals nothing. - Content free notifications: a generic new message banner that never sends the text or the sender through Apple. - Private voice calls: end to end encrypted 1:1 calls that ring on your lock screen, always routed through a relay so the person you call never learns your IP address. - No accounts tied to you: no phone number, no email, no real name required. - No ads, no analytics, no trackers. Nuco is deliberately small and focused. Add a contact by scanning their code in person, verify you match, and start a conversation that stays between the two of you.

Screenshots

Smoke3 screens
Nuco Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Nuco Messenger at 16.4 against Smoke's 18.5. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Smoke versus Nuco Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmokeNuco Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyβ€”Every 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.516.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size18 MB99 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChisel Theory LLCZL Softare GmbH

In-app purchases

None

Smoke

No in-app purchases

None

Nuco Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Smoke free?
Smoke is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nuco Messenger free?
Nuco Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Smoke or Nuco Messenger have ads?
Neither Smoke nor Nuco Messenger shows ads.

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