Comparison

OnlyTxt vs Howdlo

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

Head to head
About

OnlyTxt

Features
Read full description

OnlyTxt is a text-only private chat for iPhone and iPad. No photos. No voice. No files. Just encrypted text that disappears after it is read. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • End-to-end encryption (Curve25519 + AES-GCM) on your device • Messages self-destruct shortly after being read • Screenshot protection on chats and QR codes • No permanent cloud inbox — the server only relays encrypted payloads ADD CONTACTS WITH QR OR CODE Scan a QR code or share a short spoken code to connect. No phone number, email, or account signup required. TEXT ONLY A minimal messenger built for words, not media. FREE & PREMIUM • Free: up to 2 contacts • Premium: unlimited contacts (annual subscription) Perfect for brief, sensitive conversations where you want encryption and automatic deletion — without the complexity of a full messenger. Privacy Policy: https://onlytxt.pages.dev/privacy.htm Terms: https://onlytxt.pages.dev/terms.htm Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Howdlo

Features
Read full description

Howdlo is where your chats and your communities finally live in one beautiful place. MESSAGE LIKE YOU MEAN IT • Fast 1:1 and group chats with replies, reactions, edits, and read receipts • Photos, video clips, voice notes, and file attachments • Live polls and collaborative sheets — decide things together, right in the chat HANG OUT IN HANGOUTS • Discord-style communities with channels, roles, and permissions • Voice lounges: tap in, talk, tap out — no calls to schedule • Breakaway convos when a thread deserves its own room DROP A LINE • Drops are 24-hour posts over gorgeous aurora gradients or your photos • See friends' Drops in a strip at the top of your chats — tap through like stories CALL WITHOUT FRICTION • 1:1 voice and video calls, peer-to-peer and private YOURS, PRIVATELY • Email-code sign-in — no passwords to remember, no phone number required • Block and report anyone; delete your account in-app, instantly • No ads. No trackers. We don't sell your data. Ever. Howdlo — Hang Out, Write, Drop Lines Online.

Screenshots

OnlyTxt4 screens
Howdlo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Howdlo at none against OnlyTxt's 1. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. OnlyTxt sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Howdlo asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
OnlyTxt versus Howdlo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOnlyTxtHowdlo
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB85 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlvaro RamirezBorgMobile

In-app purchases

1 purchases

OnlyTxt

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Yearly$9.991 Year
None

Howdlo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OnlyTxt free?
OnlyTxt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Howdlo free?
Howdlo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do OnlyTxt or Howdlo have ads?
Neither OnlyTxt nor Howdlo shows ads.

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