Ekko Chat vs Zerolog Chat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ekko Chat
A secure messaging app that uses multiple independent transport paths to ensure message delivery. It offers end-to-end encryption, offline messaging via Bluetooth, and no account or personal information required for use.
- Multi-transport message delivery
- End-to-end encryption
- Offline messaging via Bluetooth
- No account or personal info required
- Disappearing messages
- Encrypted group chats
- Transparent networking dashboard
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Ekko is a chat messenger that delivers your messages through six independent transport paths. If one is blocked, your message finds another way. No phone number. No email. No account. Your identity is a cryptographic key pair generated on your device and never shared with anyone — not even us. Add contacts by scanning QR codes when you meet in person. This is how trust should work. ENCRYPTED BY DEFAULT Every message is end-to-end encrypted before it leaves your device. Text, photos, documents, GIFs, and files are all protected. Not even Ekko can read your conversations. WORKS WITHOUT INTERNET Ekko uses Bluetooth Low Energy to exchange messages with nearby contacts automatically. Walk past someone at a coffee shop and pending messages deliver silently — no cell tower, no Wi-Fi required. When contacts aren't nearby, messages route through the internet via five other transport methods. SIX TRANSPORT PATHS - Bluetooth: Nearby offline delivery within 100 meters - Mesh Gossip: Messages forwarded by nearby peers - Distributed Hash Table: Decentralized serverless routing - Tor Onion: High-privacy delivery - Peer Link: Fast QUIC-based direct connections - Private Relay: Always-on encrypted push delivery Each message automatically finds the best available path. The transport dashboard shows you exactly how every message traveled. GROUP CONVERSATIONS Create encrypted group chats, invite contacts, share files, and set disappearing message timers for the entire group. Member management lets you add or remove participants at any time. DISAPPEARING MESSAGES Set messages to self-destruct after 5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, or 1 week. Once gone, they cannot be recovered. SHARE MEDIA SECURELY Send photos from your camera or gallery, browse and send animated GIFs, attach documents and files of any type — all encrypted end-to-end. An inline attachment menu gives you quick access to Files, Photos, Camera, and GIF search without leaving the conversation. PRIVATE RELAY SERVER Subscribe to a dedicated relay server for instant push delivery when you and your contacts aren't nearby. Messages are stored encrypted on the relay — it cannot read them. Invite contacts to share your relay for mutual always-on delivery. VERIFY CONTACTS Compare cryptographic fingerprints in person or through a trusted channel to verify that your contact is who they claim to be. No certificate authorities, no central trust — just mathematics. TRANSPARENT NETWORKING The transport dashboard gives you full visibility into how your messages travel. See which transports are active, how many network peers you're connected to, and which path delivered each individual message. An in-chat legend explains every transport and status icon. YOUR DATA, YOUR DEVICE All data stays on your device. There is no cloud sync, no analytics, no tracking, and no telemetry. Export an encrypted backup anytime for device transfers. Delete everything with a single tap. BIOMETRIC UNLOCK Secure the app with Face ID or fingerprint authentication on supported devices for fast, convenient access. BUILT FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED PRIVACY Ekko is designed for journalists, activists, travelers, and anyone who believes private communication is a fundamental right. Whether you're in a restrictive environment where traditional messengers are monitored, or you simply want conversations that stay between you and your contacts, Ekko ensures your messages always find a way. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Zerolog Chat
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Zerolog is a private messenger built for people who actually mean it. Every message is end-to-end encrypted and sealed on your device — not on a server. No ads. No trackers. We don't sell your data. Ever. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT • End-to-end encryption on every message, call, photo and file • Disappearing messages with custom timers — gone for good, on both sides • Screenshot & screen-recording protection, with instant capture alerts • Encrypted on-device storage — your history stays locked even if your phone is lost • Your phone number is never shared with the people you talk to WORKS WITH ZERO INTERNET Zerolog can find, pair, and message people right next to you over Bluetooth — no cell signal, no Wi-Fi network, no problem. Ideal for travel, flights, festivals, campuses, or anywhere the network drops out. CRYSTAL-CLEAR VOICE CALLS Encrypted peer-to-peer voice calls with native call screens. Audio flows directly between devices. SHARE ANYTHING, SECURELY Photos, videos, voice notes and files up to 512 MB — all end-to-end encrypted, all able to self-destruct. KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO Built-in safety codes let you confirm there's no one in the middle. Block or report anyone, anytime. PLAY TOGETHER Built-in local multiplayer games — challenge a friend to a quick match without leaving your chat. NO COMPROMISES • No ads, ever • No data harvesting • No surprises Your conversations belong to you. Zerolog just keeps them that way.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zerolog Chat at none against Ekko Chat's 4. Zerolog Chat also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Ekko Chat's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). On price, ads 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. Ekko Chat sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Zerolog Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ekko Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, Zerolog Chat every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ekko Chat | Zerolog Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 65 MB | 63 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Chris Ross | Firat Kocaoglu |
In-app purchases
Ekko Chat
- Standard Relay Monthly Subscription$6.991 Month
- Premium Relay Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
- Annual Relay Standard Subscription$69.991 Year
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- Annual Relay Premium Subscription$99.991 Year
Zerolog Chat
No in-app purchases









