# theSHFT vs PopEllo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PopEllo at none against theSHFT's 2. theSHFT's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. theSHFT sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. PopEllo asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for theSHFT against 5.0 for PopEllo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: theSHFT has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

theSHFT ships an update weekly, PopEllo every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | theSHFT | PopEllo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theshft-encrypted-messaging/id6757427488/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popello/id6798219207/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 176 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [theSHFT LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819238938) | [Victoriam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836616959) |

## What reviewers say

### theSHFT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theshft-encrypted-messaging/id6757427488)

This app offers a secure and private messaging experience disguised as a functional calculator. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and self-destruct after reading, with no data stored on servers. It prioritizes user privacy with advanced encryption protocols.

**Highlights:** Calculator disguise, End-to-end encryption, Self-destructing messages, No server storage, Advanced encryption protocols, No phone number required

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| theSHFT Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| theSHFT Pro Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


### PopEllo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popello/id6798219207)

This app offers private, end-to-end encrypted messaging with features like sealed messages, disappearing messages, and voice/video calls. Connect with friends using handles instead of phone numbers for enhanced privacy.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, Sealed messages with hold-to-reveal, Disappearing messages, Voice and video calls, Photo and video sharing, Connect via @handle (no phone number needed), Voice effects for voice notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is theSHFT free?

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

### Is PopEllo free?

PopEllo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, theSHFT or PopEllo?

theSHFT and PopEllo are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do theSHFT or PopEllo have ads?

Neither theSHFT nor PopEllo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, theSHFT or PopEllo?

theSHFT ships an update weekly, and PopEllo every 4 days. Most recently, theSHFT was updated on October 31, 2026 and PopEllo on October 31, 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.*