# Shadow Self vs Hermes Decode

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Self at none against Hermes Decode's 4. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hermes Decode sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Shadow Self asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shadow Self ships an update every 6 days, Hermes Decode every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow Self | Hermes Decode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 11 days |
| Size | 7 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yehuda breuer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877033625) | [Diego Petkoff Azcuna](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895236314) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-self/id6759146370)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hermes Decode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hermes-decode/id6763257761)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adept | $6.99 | per month |
| Magus | $17.99 | per month |
| Adept (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Magus (Annual) | $149.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow Self free?

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

### Is Hermes Decode free?

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

### Do Shadow Self or Hermes Decode have ads?

Neither Shadow Self nor Hermes Decode shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow Self or Hermes Decode?

Shadow Self ships an update every 6 days, and Hermes Decode every 11 days. Most recently, Shadow Self was updated on September 8, 2026 and Hermes Decode on September 19, 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.*