# MessageCipher vs madbell

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: MessageCipher at 15.1 against madbell's 26.2. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MessageCipher sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and madbell sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MessageCipher ships an update every 5 days, madbell every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MessageCipher | madbell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 42 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thori Barker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862447645) | [Oscar Robert-Besle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831517156) |

## What reviewers say

### MessageCipher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagecipher/id6757100213)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly premium | $79.99 | per year |


### madbell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/madbell/id6759046557)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MadBell Premium | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MessageCipher free?

MessageCipher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is madbell free?

madbell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do MessageCipher or madbell have ads?

Neither MessageCipher nor madbell shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MessageCipher or madbell?

MessageCipher ships an update every 5 days, and madbell every 4 days. Most recently, MessageCipher was updated on October 11, 2026 and madbell on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*