# Startel Secure Messaging Plus vs alive5

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Startel Secure Messaging Plus at 16% against alive5's 0%. alive5's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Startel Secure Messaging Plus ships an update every 4 months, alive5 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Startel Secure Messaging Plus | alive5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.2 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alive5/id1230065911/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **10** |
| Positive reviews | **15.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 20 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Startel Coporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/479974601) | [Alive5, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1230065910) |

## What reviewers say

### Startel Secure Messaging Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startel-secure-messaging-plus/id886055370)

This app provides a secure and HIPAA-compliant method for sending and receiving text messages. It features end-to-end encryption, expiring messages, and remote wipe capabilities to protect sensitive information.

**Highlights:** HIPAA and HITECH compliant, End-to-end message encryption, Expiring messages (up to 30 days), Voice and image attachments, Remote wipe capability, Device receipt notifications, Multi-device single login

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### alive5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alive5/id1230065911)

This app streamlines customer communication for agents on the go. It allows for accepting live chat requests and responding to customers via SMS/text messaging, with improvements to real-time conversation loading and message sending functionality.

**Highlights:** Accept live chat requests, Respond via SMS/Text Messaging, Real-time conversation loading, Improved message sending, Simplified interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Startel Secure Messaging Plus free?

Startel Secure Messaging Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is alive5 free?

alive5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Startel Secure Messaging Plus or alive5 have ads?

Neither Startel Secure Messaging Plus nor alive5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Startel Secure Messaging Plus or alive5?

Startel Secure Messaging Plus ships an update every 4 months, and alive5 every 2 months. Most recently, Startel Secure Messaging Plus was updated on October 13, 2026 and alive5 on October 5, 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.*