Keywave vs Pocket
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Keywave
Securely encrypt and decrypt messages directly on your device. Manage your PGP keys locally without any server interaction or data tracking. Offers robust key generation and import/export options with a clean interface.
- Encrypt and decrypt messages
- Generate RSA keypairs
- Manage unlimited keys
- Import/export keys
- Native SwiftUI interface
- 100% local processing
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PGP encryption for people who value their privacy. Everything runs on your device. No servers, no tracking, no compromises. WHAT IT DOES Keywave is a native iOS app for PGP encryption and decryption. Encrypt messages before you send them. Decrypt the ones you receive. Manage your keys. That's it. Everything runs locally using Protonmail's open-source gopenpgp library. Your keys never leave your phone. We can't see them even if we wanted to. CORE FEATURES • Encrypt & Decrypt Messages Swipe to switch modes. Select your keys. Tap to encrypt or decrypt. Copy the result. Done. • Generate PGP Keys Create new keypairs at 2048, 3072, or 4096-bit RSA. Optional password protection. Takes seconds. • Key Management Store unlimited keys on your device. Search by name, email, or fingerprint. Filter by public, private, expiring, or expired. Sort by name, date, type, or fingerprint. • Import Keys Open key files (.asc, .gpg, .key, .pub, .pem) from the Files app, paste from the clipboard, or share text straight into Keywave from another app. • Export Keys ASCII Armored or binary. Save to Files, share to another app, or copy to the clipboard. • Clean iOS Design Native SwiftUI. Haptic feedback. Dark by default. No clutter. WHY KEYWAVE Most PGP apps are ugly, complicated, or both. We're neither. • 100% Local Processing No servers. No cloud. No network requests at all. Everything happens on your device. • Zero Data Collection We don't collect, store, or see your data. No analytics. No tracking. No telemetry. • Open Source Foundation Built on Protonmail's battle-tested gopenpgp library. Transparent. Auditable. • iOS-Native Designed for iOS from the start. Not a port. Not a web page in a wrapper. WHO IT'S FOR • Privacy-conscious individuals • People tired of bloated encryption tools • Anyone who needs PGP without the complexity • Users who want their data to stay on their device SECURITY • Keys stored in the iOS Keychain • Password prompts for protected keys • Signature verification when you decrypt • No plaintext storage of sensitive data • Standard OpenPGP, so it works with GPG and other PGP tools WHAT IT'S NOT This isn't a messaging app. We don't send anything. We encrypt and decrypt text; you send it however you like. This isn't cloud-based. Everything stays on your device. If you want backups, export your keys yourself. This isn't for everyone. If you need someone to explain why encryption matters, we're not that app. THE FINE PRINT • Free. Every feature included. • No ads. No in-app purchases. • Requires iOS 17.6 or later • Works completely offline • Export your keys to keep your own backups Privacy isn't a feature. It's the whole point.
Securely encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify messages and files directly on your device. Manage PGP keys locally for enhanced privacy and control, with options for handling larger files and unlimited key storage through in-app purchases.
- Create and manage PGP keys locally
- Encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify messages
- Encrypt and decrypt files
- Support for large files with Chunk Mode
- Organize and manage keyring
- Channel-independent encryption
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Pocket PGP brings OpenPGP encryption to your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Silicon Mac: direct, private, and under your control. Create, import, and manage PGP keys directly on your device. Encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify messages with greater privacy and control. Core cryptographic operations run locally on your device, without relying on external servers for the actual encryption and decryption process. Features: - Create OpenPGP key pairs directly on your device - Import public and private keys as plain text or from .asc files - Encrypt messages for one or multiple recipients - Decrypt messages locally on your device - See signature verification details, including which key signed a message - Sign cleartext messages - Verify clear-signed PGP messages - Optionally remember private-key passphrases on this device after successful decryption - Share results after encrypting, decrypting, signing, or verifying - Encrypt and decrypt regular files up to 125 MB on iPhone and iPad - Encrypt and decrypt regular files up to 200 MB on Apple Silicon Macs - Create and open app-specific Pocket PGP .ppgp packages with Chunk Mode - Use Chunk Mode for larger files up to 750 MB per package - Organize and manage your keyring with ease - Switch the app language between English and German Pocket PGP is channel-independent. Encrypt or sign your content first, then share or send it through email, messaging apps, notes, cloud drives, or any other channel. Regular file encryption uses OpenPGP-compatible file encryption. For larger files, Chunk Mode creates Pocket PGP .ppgp packages. These packages are app-specific and can be opened with Pocket PGP. The app can be downloaded and tested for free with plain text encryption. The free version is limited to a maximum of two stored keys and does not include file-encryption. In-App Purchases: - Premium unlocks unlimited key storage and bulk import - File Encryption unlocks regular file encryption and decryption (maximum supported file size: 125 MB per file on capable iPhone and iPad, 200 MB on Apple Silicon Macs) - Chunk Mode unlocks app-specific large-file .ppgp packages (maximum supported file size: 750 MB per package) - Pro Bundle unlocks Premium, File Encryption, and Chunk Mode in one purchase No user accounts. No cloud key storage. No analytics tracking. Your private keys stay under your control.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pocket at 100% against Keywave's 33%. Pocket also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Keywave's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price and ads 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. Pocket sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Keywave asks for nothing beyond the download.
Keywave ships an update every 4 months, Pocket weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Keywave | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 3.7 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | William Kelley | MAGNUS FINSTAD |
Customer experience
Keywave
In-app purchases
Keywave
No in-app purchases
- File encryption (125MB)$1.99
- Chunk Mode (750 MB)$1.99
- Pocket PGP Pro (Unlimited keys)$1.99
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- Pro Bundle$4.99







