Comparison

Veil vs Onym Messenger

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Veil

A private messaging app offering end-to-end encrypted text, voice, and video calls. It requires no personal information to create an identity and supports disappearing messages for enhanced privacy.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encrypted messaging
  • Encrypted voice and video calls
  • Encrypted group channels
  • No phone number or email required
  • Disappearing messages
  • Identity backup and recovery
Features
Read full description

Veil is an end-to-end encrypted messenger designed for people who value privacy. No phone number required. No email required. Just create an identity and start messaging. REAL ENCRYPTION, NOT THEATER Every message is encrypted with the Double Ratchet protocol before it leaves your device. Voidly cannot read your messages. We store only encrypted ciphertext that is mathematically unreadable without your private key. KEY FEATURES: End-to-End Encrypted Messaging Send text messages, voice notes, and images with military-grade encryption. Each message uses a unique key derived from the Double Ratchet, providing forward secrecy. Voice & Video Calls Make encrypted voice and video calls over WebRTC. Call signaling is routed through the encrypted relay. Encrypted Group Channels Create or join group channels with NaCl secretbox encryption. Share information securely with your community. No Phone Number Required Your identity is a cryptographic keypair generated on your device. No personal information needed. Share your identity via QR code or invite link. Disappearing Messages Set messages to auto-delete after 5 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours, or 7 days. Identity Backup & Recovery Export your cryptographic identity as a JSON file. Import it on another device to access your encrypted messages. PRIVACY BY DESIGN: - Zero-knowledge relay (server stores only ciphertext) - No tracking, no analytics, no ads - No cookies, no fingerprinting - DID-based identity (no personal data) Built by Ai Analytics LLC. Learn more at voidly.ai/veil

About

Onym Messenger

Features
Read full description

Onym is a private messenger built on one idea: your conversations are yours. END-TO-END ENCRYPTED Only the people in your group can read what's sent. Onym's servers never see your messages. NO PHONE NUMBER, NO EMAIL Your identity is a cryptographic key you own — not your contact info. Create one in seconds, and make as many as you like. NO CENTRAL SERVER Group membership is anchored on the Stellar network, not owned by us. There's no company account that can lock you out. START A CHAT WITH ONE LINK Spin up an encrypted group and share a single invite link. People join later without exchanging any keys. BRING YOUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE Onym carries messages and media over open Nostr relays and Blossom servers. Use the defaults, or point the app at your own instances for maximum privacy. MULTIPLE IDENTITIES Keep contacts and chats cleanly separated. Switch between identities with a tap. YOU HOLD THE KEYS A recovery phrase restores your identity on a new device. Lose it and no one — including us — can recover it. Onym doesn't ask who you are. No accounts, no profiles, no tracking, no ads. Just private conversations you control. Built by people who think privacy is a right.

Screenshots

Veil4 screens
Onym Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Veil at 15.1 against Onym Messenger's 18.0. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Veil ships an update every 4 days, Onym Messenger every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Veil versus Onym Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVeilOnym Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB14 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperAi Analytics LLCOnym OÜ

In-app purchases

None

Veil

No in-app purchases

None

Onym Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Veil free?
Veil is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Onym Messenger free?
Onym Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Veil or Onym Messenger have ads?
Neither Veil nor Onym Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Veil or Onym Messenger?
Veil ships an update every 4 days, and Onym Messenger every 5 days. Most recently, Veil was updated on October 22, 2026 and Onym Messenger on October 24, 2026.

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