HomeChat vs StipaCaller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HomeChat
A secure messenger focused on private one-on-one communication with end-to-end encryption. It requires no personal data for registration and offers features like encrypted calls, media sharing, and customizable themes. Designed for users prioritizing privacy and security over group chats.
- End-to-end encryption
- One-on-one communication only
- No personal data required
- Encrypted calls and media
- Customizable themes and stickers
- App PIN and panic code
Read full descriptionHide full description
HomeChat is a secure messenger with full end-to-end encryption. Private one-on-one and group chats — no channels, no public spaces. Who HomeChat is for: - Family and loved ones - Lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs - Crypto traders - Anyone who doesn't trust big platforms PRIVACY HomeChat encrypts everything — text, media, reactions, and call signals — directly on your device. The server does not store messages and never has access to your conversations. Decrypting data without the keys on your device is impossible. HomeChat includes a built-in proxy tunnel — a fallback channel used when the direct connection to our server is unavailable. When needed, the app uses an internal secured route to reach HomeChat's own server. It does not affect other apps and is not a system VPN. It can be enabled manually with a single tap. - No phone number, email, or personal data required to register - No ads or third-party analytics - No personal data collection - Encrypted media files are automatically deleted from the server after 7 days - Delete your account at any time with one tap - App PIN — independent cryptographic protection, separate from the phone passcode. Without the correct PIN, app content is inaccessible even on an unlocked device - Panic code — instantly and irreversibly destroys all data within the app with no trace and no possibility of recovery FEATURES - Text messages, photos, videos, audio, documents (max file size — 100 MB) - Video messages (video circles) - Voice calls - Video calls - Group chats with manual invite approval - Message reactions - Statuses: sent → delivered → read - Presence indicators: online / offline / removed from contacts - Custom stickers, ringtones, and wallpapers - Light and dark theme support - Ability to chat during a call SECURITY Encryption protocols: - X3DH + Double Ratchet (Signal protocol) on Apple CryptoKit - AES-256-GCM for all data types - Ed25519 for signing, X25519 for key exchange - Forward Secrecy — compromising one key doesn't reveal past conversations Calls: - WebRTC over self-hosted STUN/TURN servers - Direct P2P connection via STUN (when possible), TURN as a fallback channel - Call signaling (IP addresses, SDP) is additionally encrypted - DTLS/SRTP protection for the voice stream Transport: - WSS (WebSocket Secure) + TLS + Certificate Pinning (SPKI) — protection against MITM attacks On-device data: - Messages stored in an encrypted SQLite database - Session keys in the iOS Keychain (ThisDeviceOnly) - Media files excluded from iCloud backups - Session rollback protection (used encryption keys are destroyed immediately and cannot be recovered) Push notifications: - Message content never enters the push payload - VoIP Push only carries the caller's identifier NOTES - Works in Russia - Push notifications and VoIP calls work in the background - Supports iPhone and iPad
StipaCaller
Read full descriptionHide full description
StipaCaller is a small, invite-only messaging and calling app for closed groups — family, friends, anyone who wants their conversations to stay between the people who were invited. Every chat is end-to-end encrypted. Voice and video calls run over a self-hosted backend, not a third-party cloud. There are no ads, no algorithms, no public discovery, and no phone number required. Sign-in is by invite code only. New users join when someone already on the network invites them — there's no public sign-up form, and accounts can't be discovered by searching for a name or number. Designed for small networks where trust is direct and the surface area is intentionally small. Built for people who want a simple way to stay in touch without their conversations becoming someone else's training data. Features: • 1:1 and group chats with end-to-end encryption (libsodium) • Send and receive voice messages • Send and receive photos and videos • Voice and video calls over a self-hosted backend (1:1 only) • Invite-only — no public sign-up, no accounts findable by phone number • No ads, no telemetry, no third-party analytics • Username-based addressing — no phone number required
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: StipaCaller at 16.0 against HomeChat's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
HomeChat ships an update every 3 days, StipaCaller every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HomeChat | StipaCaller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hash and Joy, LLC | Lesti Software Oy |
In-app purchases
HomeChat
No in-app purchases
StipaCaller
No in-app purchases









