# Phidden vs Shadow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow at none against Phidden's 1. Shadow also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phidden sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shadow asks for nothing beyond the download.

Phidden ships an update every 7 months, Shadow every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phidden | Shadow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 43 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **10.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ragazzetto Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/367334222) | [Orion Meta Link Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449552807) |

## What reviewers say

### Phidden

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phidden/id682818494)

Embed secret messages within your photos. Share these images, and only recipients with the app can reveal the hidden text. Avoid image compression to ensure messages remain intact.

**Highlights:** Embed secret messages in photos, Reveal hidden messages with the app, Share encoded photos, Preserve message integrity, Secure sharing methods

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phidden Network access and ... | $0.99 | one-time |


### Shadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-private-photos/id1496623717)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phidden free?

Phidden is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shadow free?

Shadow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Phidden or Shadow have ads?

Neither Phidden nor Shadow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phidden or Shadow?

Phidden ships an update every 7 months, and Shadow every 3 days. Most recently, Phidden was updated on October 12, 2026 and Shadow on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*