Cord vs Talks
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Cord
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Cord is a privacy-first messaging app with end-to-end encryption and minimal identity requirementsβno phone number, no email, no contact upload. Chat history stays on your device. End-to-End Encryption End-to-end encryption for messages Forward secrecy Cryptographic message authentication Minimal Identity by Design No phone number required No email required No contact list uploads Join cords via code/QR History Stays on Your Phone Chat history is stored in an encrypted database on your device Cord does not upload that history An app update does not delete your chats Move to a new phone on the same Wi-Fi. Chats copy directly between the phones, encrypted for the transfer, and are not uploaded After the move, messaging continues on the new phone. The previous phone can still be opened to read Key Features Create or join secure cords (group chats) Real-time encrypted messaging Move chats, including photos and files, to a new phone Message expiration options Dark and light themes Push notifications (no message content) Privacy-First No ads or trackers Built on open cryptographic standards Designed to minimize stored data Why Choose Cord? Cord focuses on private communication without tying your account to personal identifiers. Your messages are end-to-end encrypted so only participants can read them. History stays on the device, and you move it yourself when you change phones. For App Store Connect, the promotional text is 145 characters: Privacy-first messaging with end-to-end encryptionβno phone number, no email. Move chats to a new phone over Wi-Fi. History stays on your device. What's New: Chat history stays in an encrypted database on your device. Updating the app does not delete your chats. Move to a new phone on the same Wi-Fi. Chats copy directly between the phones and are not uploaded. After the move, messaging continues on the new phone. The move is described as a handoff, not a backup and not a second active phone. Chat history is copied on the local network and is not uploaded. After the move, messaging continues on the new phone, and the previous phone can still be opened to read.
Talks
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Talks is a private messenger built for people who value their privacy. Your conversations are end-to-end encrypted, your messages disappear automatically, and nothing is kept longer than it needs to be. No feeds. No noise. No tracking of your chats. Just fast, secure, private conversations in 50 languages. GET STARTED IN SECONDS Sign up with just your phone number and a one-time SMS verification code. No email and no passwords. You can optionally import your phone contacts to instantly see which of your friends are already on Talks. Contacts are used only for matching and are never shared or sold. END-TO-END ENCRYPTION Your one-on-one chats are encrypted device to device. No one in between can read them, not even us. DISAPPEARING MESSAGES Set a timer and your messages are permanently deleted from our servers when it runs out. Gone means gone. VOICE AND VIDEO CALLS Crystal-clear one-on-one and group calls, connected peer-to-peer. 50 LANGUAGES A fully localized app plus real-time message translation, so you can talk with anyone, anywhere. LAST SEEN AND PRIVACY CONTROLS Decide who can see your online status and last seen. Turn it off and stay invisible. FREE AND PREMIUM Start free, with everything you need for private messaging. Go Premium to unlock unlimited messaging, voice, video and group calls, real-time translation in 50 languages, custom disappearing-message timers, larger file sharing, bigger groups, and an ad-free experience. Premium is an auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at purchase. It renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://talks.ataforge.com/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://talks.ataforge.com/terms.html Questions? Email hello@ataforge.com Download Talks and take back your privacy.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cord at none against Talks's 3. Cord also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Talks sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Cord asks for nothing beyond the download.
Cord ships an update every 3 days, Talks every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cord | Talks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days β better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No β better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No β better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 44 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Mads Schmidt | Goseedo Turistik Yatirimlar Anonim Sirketi |
In-app purchases
Cord
No in-app purchases
Talks
- Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
- Premium Yearly$29.991 Year
- Premium Lifetime$79.99









