Comparison

Cord vs PGP Messenger

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

Head to head
About

Cord

Features
Read full description

Cord is a privacy-first messaging app with end-to-end encryption and minimal identity requirementsβ€”no 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 encryptionβ€”no 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.

About

PGP Messenger

Features
Read full description

PGP Chat is a privacy-first messenger built for secure everyday communication. Every message is protected with end-to-end encryption using OpenPGP, so only you and the intended recipient can read it.

Screenshots

Cord3 screens
PGP Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: PGP Messenger at 13.0 against Cord's 15.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cord ships an update every 3 days, PGP Messenger every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Cord versus PGP Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCordPGP Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.613.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size44 MB35 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMads SchmidtSandro Meier

In-app purchases

None

Cord

No in-app purchases

None

PGP Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cord free?
Cord is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PGP Messenger free?
PGP Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Cord or PGP Messenger have ads?
Neither Cord nor PGP Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cord or PGP Messenger?
Cord ships an update every 3 days, and PGP Messenger every 2 days. Most recently, Cord was updated on November 9, 2026 and PGP Messenger on October 31, 2026.

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