# Signal vs SimpleX Chat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SimpleX Chat at none against Signal's 1. Signal's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (1.1M vs 264). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Signal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. SimpleX Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.

Signal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Signal has 1.1M ratings behind it against 264, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Signal's written reviews are positive against 57% of SimpleX Chat's.

Signal ships an update every 6 days, SimpleX Chat every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Signal | SimpleX Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669/reviews)** | [4.3 (264 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-chat-secure-messenger/id1605771084/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1M** | 264 |
| Positive reviews | **67.2% of reviews** | 56.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#9** | #189 |
| Size | 209 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Signal Messenger, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/874139672) | [SimpleX Chat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605771086) |

## What reviewers say

### Signal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Free · Social Networking, #127 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #202 Top Free (US App Store)

This messaging app prioritizes your privacy with strong end-to-end encryption for all communications. It offers free text, voice, and video messaging, including group chats and disappearing stories, all without collecting your data.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, Free voice and video calls, Group chats up to 1000 people, Disappearing Stories, File sharing, Admin controls for groups

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Signal Secure Backups | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Security and privacy
- 👍 Ease of use
- 🚀 Great call quality
- 🚀 Smooth and pleasant user interface
- 🔒 End-to-end encryption

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Delayed message delivery
- 🐛 Inconsistent image/video quality
- 🐛 Buggy call functionality
- 🐛 Inability to edit sent messages
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Problem retrieving data, resulting in lost message history
- Keyboard covering the current conversation
- Inconsistent behavior when attaching photos/videos
- Scrolling issues when reading through messages
- Inability to recover message history after device change

**Requested features**

- Add filters and customization options
- Allow adding music to stories
- Implement a sticker store
- Add ability to pin messages in group chats
- Allow new members to view previous group messages


### SimpleX Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-chat-secure-messenger/id1605771084)

**Currently charting:** #189 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

This secure messaging app offers unparalleled privacy by eliminating user identifiers. Enjoy end-to-end encrypted messages, calls, and files with features like disappearing messages and incognito mode. Connect via invitation links without needing phone numbers or emails.

**Highlights:** No user identifiers, End-to-end encrypted messages, Disappearing messages, Incognito mode, Encrypted file and voice messages, Secret chat groups, Encrypted portable chat database

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 End-to-end encryption and quantum-resistant security
- 🔐 No phone number or personal data required
- 👤 Anonymous profiles and multiple identities
- 🚀 Fast message delivery when working properly
- 🎯 Decentralized and open-source architecture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and instability
- 📬 Delayed or missing notifications (20+ minutes common)
- ⌨️ Keyboard issues on iOS (freezing, unresponsive)
- 🔌 Poor connectivity and message delivery failures
- 📱 iPad version not optimized

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup (v6.2 update)
- Keyboard unresponsive on iOS 26
- Messages not appearing until app is opened
- Notifications not working despite correct settings
- Chat freezing and lag on iPhone

**Requested features**

- Read receipts option
- Typing indicators
- Bot maker feature like Telegram
- Multiple image attachment with descriptions
- Better emoji reaction selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Signal free?

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

### Is SimpleX Chat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Signal or SimpleX Chat?

Signal is rated higher. Signal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1M ratings, while SimpleX Chat averages 4.3 from 264 ratings.

### Do Signal or SimpleX Chat have ads?

Neither Signal nor SimpleX Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Signal or SimpleX Chat?

Signal ships an update every 6 days, and SimpleX Chat every 2 weeks. Most recently, Signal was updated on September 27, 2026 and SimpleX Chat on September 26, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Signal or SimpleX Chat?

Signal currently peaks at #9 in the App Store charts, and SimpleX Chat at #189. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*