Smoke vs Between
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Smoke
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Your messages deserve better. Smoke is a privacy-first messaging app where your conversations stay private—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, videos—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 © 2025 Chisel Theory LLC. Your messages, your privacy, your choice.
Between
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Welcome to Between, the chat application built from the ground up for ultimate privacy and security. Unlike traditional messaging apps that route and store your conversations on central servers, Between is entirely decentralized. By utilizing advanced WebRTC technology, Between establishes a direct, secure, peer-to-peer connection between you and your contacts. Once connected, your data travels directly from your device to theirs with no middlemen, corporate servers, and no tracking. TRUE PRIVACY Your messages are for your eyes only. Every message and image sent through Between is heavily encrypted end-to-end. We don’t have access to your messages, we don't track your usage, and we don't sell your data. NO ACCOUNTS REQUIRED Say goodbye to handing over your phone number or email address just to send a message. Between generates a secure, cryptographic connection ID locally on your device. Just share your ID with a friend, and you’re ready to chat. YOUR DATA STAYS WITH YOU Your chat history and contact list are stored securely and locally on your own device. You have full control over your data and can completely wipe your local database at any time with just a few taps. FEATURES: Direct P2P Connections: Lightning-fast messaging through WebRTC data channels. End-to-End Encryption: Keeps your conversations secure. Built-in Contacts: Save your friends' connection IDs with custom names and profile pictures. No Central Storage: If it's not on your phone, it doesn't exist. Modern & Intuitive: A beautiful, native iOS experience designed for simplicity. Open-source: view and verify the code at any time. (Note: Between requires an active internet connection to establish the initial peer-to-peer handshake.)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Smoke at 18.5 against Between's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.
| Parameter | Smoke | Between |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | — | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Chisel Theory LLC | Bryce Agostini |
In-app purchases
Smoke
No in-app purchases
Between
No in-app purchases









