CryptKB vs NanoTerm
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
CryptKB
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CryptKB helps you encrypt message text before it leaves your iPhone or iPad. Use the custom keyboard to write a message, choose a password, and insert an encrypted payload into Messages or another text field. Or open the Messages extension to stage a CryptKB bubble inside a Messages draft. The other person can open the same payload in CryptKB and decrypt it locally with the matching password. Why people use CryptKB: - Local encrypt and decrypt on device - Custom keyboard for ordinary text fields - Messages extension for composing and opening CryptKB bubbles - AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 key derivation - ASCII-safe payload format for copy, paste, and sharing - Optional saved conversation passwords protected by Face ID or device passcode - No account creation, no backend relay, no analytics SDKs, and no ad tracking in the app - Built-in playground, settings, privacy notes, and diagnostics How it works: 1. Switch to CryptKB Keyboard. 2. Type your message. 3. Enter a password. 4. Tap Encrypt & Insert. 5. Review the encrypted text and tap Send yourself. To decrypt, paste or open a CryptKB payload, enter the matching password, and read the plaintext locally. CryptKB intentionally reveals decrypted text in a local panel instead of writing it back into the conversation automatically. Important platform notes: - Apple does not allow third-party keyboards to tap the host app's Send button, so sending is always manual. - Password recovery is not possible by design. - CryptKB protects message content inside its encrypted payload, not message metadata like recipients, timestamps, screenshots, or notification previews.
NanoTerm
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NanoTerm is a fast, native SSH client and terminal for iPhone and iPad, built for developers and system administrators who manage remote servers on the go. Connect over SSH, transfer files with SFTP, keep an eye on your servers, and manage Docker containers ā all from a clean, native interface with strong security built in. TERMINAL & SSH ⢠Native SSH terminal with full keyboard support, customizable themes and fonts ⢠Command history and autocomplete ⢠Organize hosts into groups, with automatic OS detection ⢠Connect through jump hosts (bastion) and SOCKS5 / HTTP proxies AUTHENTICATION & SECURITY ⢠Password and SSH key authentication (Ed25519, RSA) ⢠Generate hardware-backed keys in the Secure Enclave, protected by Face ID / Touch ID ⢠Host key verification (trust on first use) with an alert when a server's key changes ⢠Lock the app with Face ID or a PIN ⢠Optional post-quantum key exchange FILES (SFTP) ⢠Browse the remote file system ⢠Upload, download, rename and delete files, and create folders SERVER MONITORING ⢠Real-time CPU, memory, network and disk metrics ⢠Daily and monthly network traffic usage ⢠Availability of some metrics depends on the server's environment DOCKER ⢠View running containers and their stats ⢠Start, stop, restart and remove containers ⢠Quick deploy SNIPPETS ⢠Save and reuse your common commands FILES APP INTEGRATION ⢠Your servers become locations in the system Files app ⢠Browse remote directories and open files in place ⢠Edit and save straight back to the server ⢠Upload, rename, move, delete, and create folders ⢠Works with password and ED25519 key auth ā proxy and jump-chain hosts included ⢠Reach any server file from any app's document picker ⢠Choose which hosts appear, per host SYNC & PRIVACY ⢠Optional iCloud sync for your hosts, snippets and known hosts across devices ⢠Credentials are stored in the device keychain ⢠Universal app for iPhone and iPad NanoTerm keeps the essentials fast and the interface clean, so you can reach your servers in seconds.
Screenshots
Verdict
CryptKB and NanoTerm are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters ā price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them ā neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | CryptKB | NanoTerm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | ā | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac ā better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 ā better | 18.6 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Seth Farrington18896201822 | ęäæ č£ |
In-app purchases
CryptKB
No in-app purchases
NanoTerm
No in-app purchases









