Comparison

AgePony vs Security Guard

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

Head to head
About

AgePony

Securely encrypt, sign, and manage files using advanced post-quantum cryptography. Protect your data with robust encryption methods, verify file authenticity, and keep sensitive information private on your device without relying on servers or accounts.

Highlights
  • Post-quantum encryption (ML-KEM-768)
  • File signing and verification
  • Encrypt to various recipients
  • Support for any file size
  • Passphrase-locked notes
  • Biometric and PIN app lock
  • Local-first, zero-backend design
Features
Read full description

Modern file encryption and signing for iPhone, built on the age protocol. Encrypt anything to anyone, sign files so others can verify they came from you, and keep every byte on your device. No accounts, no servers, no key-management headaches. POST-QUANTUM Hybrid ML-KEM-768 + X25519 recipients, so a file captured today stays private even if X25519 falls to a quantum computer years from now. Interoperable with the age CLI 1.3 and newer. Files already on a classical key? The re-encrypt tool moves them across. ANY SIZE Encrypt, decrypt, sign and verify files of any size. Nothing is held in memory, so a 1 GB video behaves like a text file. ENCRYPT TO ANYONE A GitHub username. AgePony fetches their published SSH keys Any age public key, classical (X25519) or post-quantum A YubiKey, through age-plugin-yubikey recipients (age1yubikey1...) Any SSH public key (ed25519 or RSA) A passphrase, when you don't need recipient keys at all Exchange keys in person without typing: show yours as a QR code, or scan theirs. SIGN FILES Prove a file came from you and hasn't been altered. Sign on its own for a detached signature anyone can check without AgePony, or sign and encrypt in one step so the signature is sealed inside the ciphertext. Signatures verify automatically as a file decrypts. An in-app SSH key (ed25519 or RSA) A Secure Enclave key, generated in hardware and never exportable An external security key over NFC: tap a YubiKey or Token2, including keys behind a FIDO PIN Standard SSHSIG (ssh-keygen -Y sign), verifiable anywhere OpenSSH runs BUILT ON AGE A clean-room implementation of the age v1 format, the modern alternative to PGP: X25519 key agreement, ChaCha20-Poly1305, scrypt for passphrases. Bit-perfect with the reference age CLI. Encrypt on your phone, decrypt on your laptop, and back again. ENCRYPTED NOTES Passphrase-locked notes for secrets that never leave your device: recovery phrases, API keys, credentials. Each note has its own passphrase, stretched through scrypt. Forget it and the body is gone for good. That is the point. LOCK IT DOWN Unlock with Face ID or Touch ID, or set an app password or PIN, with or without biometrics. Choose how long AgePony waits before it locks. An optional duress password looks exactly like a normal unlock but silently wipes the vault, for the moment you are made to open the app. Delete an identity by mistake and Recently Deleted holds it for 30 days. EVERY KIND OF DATA Files: encrypt anything from the Files app Several at once: one archive, or one file each Text: armored age blocks for paste-into-email use Keys: share yours as a QR code, or scan someone else's Inspect: see what any age file is encrypted to, without decrypting it LOCAL-FIRST, ZERO BACKEND No accounts. No cloud. No telemetry. No analytics. No ads. No third-party SDKs. Your vault stays on your device, encrypted at rest with a master key in the iOS Keychain, unlocked by Face ID, Touch ID, or an app password you set. The only network request AgePony ever makes is fetching a GitHub user's public keys, when you ask, and you can route even that through an HTTP proxy. OPEN SOURCE Apache 2.0. Every line at github.com/norsehorse-dev/AgePonyiOS. COMPATIBILITY Any age v1 implementation (FiloSottile/age, str4d/rage, and more) Post-quantum recipients need age CLI 1.3 or newer YubiKey recipients through age-plugin-yubikey SSH-ed25519 and SSH-RSA public keys Binary and PEM-armored age files Detached signatures verify with ssh-keygen -Y verify Requires iPhone with iOS 18.6 or later PRIVACY AgePony collects nothing and there is no server. Your data never leaves your device unless you export it. Policy: agepony.com/privacy. SUPPORT Docs, FAQ, and contact: agepony.com/support. Email: NorseHorse@norsehor.se Built quietly in Alabama by NorseHorse. Sibling to PGPony, the same idea for OpenPGP keys.

About

Security Guard

Features
Read full description

[Security Guard] Local-Priority Encryption and Security Tools This is a local toolkit designed for learning, practice, and daily security handling. Whether it's text encryption/decryption, hash verification, high-strength password generation, or fun password training, it can handle it all. Your data stays on your device for greater security. 【Core Functions】 Crypto Lab: Offers a variety of classic and modern conversion tools: Caesar, Virginia, Atbash, ROT13, Rail Fence, Base64, Hexadecimal, Binary, Morse Code, URL escaping, reversal, keyword mixing, etc. Supports encryption/decryption switching, one-click copying, input/output interchange, and retains conversion history for easy review and reuse. Key Forging: Forges random passwords according to length and character set (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols), or generates easy-to-remember passphrases; built-in strength testing and entropy reference help you assess password reliability. Hash Fingerprint: Locally calculates MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512, etc.; supports comparison of two digests/texts for quick consistency verification. Pulse Duel: Interactive training with timed ciphertext reading and plaintext selection. Multiple difficulty levels, life points, and a scoring system make cryptography learning more rhythmic. Local Vault: Securely store encrypted notes locally, with the option to attach a SHA-256 fingerprint; the About page clearly explains the application's capabilities and privacy principles.

Screenshots

AgePony4 screens
Security Guard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Security Guard at 13 against AgePony's 17.0. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
AgePony versus Security Guard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAgePonySecurity Guard
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKevin StewartEdith Connie

In-app purchases

None

AgePony

No in-app purchases

None

Security Guard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AgePony free?
AgePony is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Security Guard free?
Security Guard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do AgePony or Security Guard have ads?
Neither AgePony nor Security Guard shows ads.

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