PGPony vs Cipher5000
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PGPony
This app simplifies PGP encryption for users on their iPhone. It allows for key generation, secure message and file encryption/decryption, digital signing, and hardware security key integration. All features are available for free.
- Generate PGP keys
- Encrypt/decrypt messages and files
- Sign and verify digital documents
- Hardware security key integration (YubiKey, Token2)
- Password-only encryption
- Key management and revocation
- Share sheet extension for app integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
PGPony makes PGP encryption easy, private, and powerful, and every feature is free. Generate keys, encrypt to people or to a password, sign and verify, back up your whole keyring, and revoke compromised keys, all from your iPhone and iPad, in seven languages. New in 8.1.0: iPad support and large files. Encrypt, sign, and decrypt files of any size, including with an RSA hardware key over NFC or USB-C, with progress and cancel. Signing with a passphrase-protected RSA key is fixed. Post-quantum encryption pairs Ed25519 with ML-KEM-768, in RFC 9580 (v6) and LibrePGP versions, private even against future quantum computers. HARDWARE SECURITY KEYS Keep your private key on dedicated hardware, not your phone. Generate a key pair on the card over NFC, or add an existing card with a tap. Sign, decrypt, and encrypt-and-sign in one step, with RSA and ECC (Ed25519/Curve25519) keys, on YubiKey, Token2, and others. Full card admin: change or unblock PINs, factory-reset, and view Card Details. ENCRYPT, DECRYPT & SIGN Encrypt messages and files of any size to any public key, or to a password with no keys at all, readable by gpg -c and back. Decrypt with a private key, a hardware key, or a passphrase, now close to instant even with a large keyring. Sign without encrypting, including detached signatures and large files, and verify a downloaded file against its signature. A signature banner shows who signed on every decrypt, for every key type including RSA. AEAD (OCB) encryption. GENERATE & MANAGE KEYS Create keys on a card or in-app: post-quantum Ed25519 + ML-KEM-768 in v6 and LibrePGP, v6 Ed25519, classic Ed25519 + Cv25519, or RSA 2048/4096. Full OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580), bit-for-bit interoperable with Sequoia PGP and GnuPG. A built-in helper helps you pick the right type. Import from files, clipboard, QR codes, or keyservers, including GnuPG v4 and v6 keys. Make revocation certificates and export private keys (GnuPG-compatible). BACK UP & RESTORE Save your whole keyring, secret keys included, as one encrypted file. A single backup code opens it, and the same file restores onto another iPhone or Android. The file stays with you, never on anyone's server. KEYSERVERS Look up a recipient by email through Web Key Directory, then keys.openpgp.org. Publish to several servers at once, and choose which PGPony searches and publishes to. Route lookups through Tor or a SOCKS proxy, and let background refresh catch revocations. PGPony warns when a server may not accept a newer key type. PASSWORD STORE Open a pass (password-store) folder and browse its entries. Decrypt with a software or hardware key, then copy the password through an auto-clearing clipboard. otpauth URIs are shown, and plaintext is dropped the moment you leave the entry. SHARE SHEET EXTENSION Encrypt or decrypt text, encrypt a file, or sign a file in any app: Safari, Files, Notes, Mail. Messages for your hardware key hand off to the app. SECURITY FIRST Face ID / Touch ID lock with auto-lock. Software keys live in the iOS Keychain (hardware-backed), or on an NFC card instead. iCloud Keychain sync, key expiration reminders, and Contacts auto-matching by email. No analytics, tracking, accounts, or sign-up. Your private keys never leave your device, and with a hardware key they never leave the card. SEVEN LANGUAGES English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. ALL FEATURES INCLUDED Everything is free with no restrictions: Post-quantum keys, on-card generation, and hardware keys (RSA and ECC) Cross-platform encrypted backup and restore, verified signatures including RSA Full OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580), password encryption (gpg -c), multi-keyserver publishing with Tor Detached signing, Password Store, QR exchange, GnuPG import, open-source core, dark mode Built by an indie developer who cares about your privacy. Your keys, your messages, your data, always yours. Terms of Use (EULA): https://pgpony.app/eula.html Privacy Policy: https://pgpony.app/privacy.html
Cipher5000
Read full descriptionHide full description
Cipher is a creative tool that transforms text into fun, coded messages only decodable by the intended recipient. With a library of 250 unique ciphers, you can encode text into fun formats and then share them with friends through any messaging platform. As long as your recipient knows which cipher to use, they can decode the text and reveal its hidden meaning.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: PGPony at weekly against Cipher5000's every 3 weeks. Cipher5000's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PGPony ships an update weekly, Cipher5000 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PGPony | Cipher5000 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (12 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 185 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Kevin Stewart | Sean Scollin |
In-app purchases
PGPony
No in-app purchases
Cipher5000
No in-app purchases









