# SecureCRT vs Holiday Messenger

The clearest difference is price: Holiday Messenger at Free against SecureCRT's $9.99. Holiday Messenger also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). SecureCRT's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Holiday Messenger is free to download; SecureCRT costs $9.99 up front. Holiday Messenger sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. SecureCRT asks for nothing beyond the download.

SecureCRT ships an update every 4 months, Holiday Messenger every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SecureCRT | Holiday Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[2.9 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/securecrt/id911124130/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **31** | — |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [VanDyke Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/911124133) | [Michael Ladd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1820956276) |

## What reviewers say

### SecureCRT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/securecrt/id911124130)

This app provides secure remote access and terminal emulation for business applications on mobile devices. It offers advanced session management, allowing users to organize connections and import settings from desktop versions. Supports various emulation types and customizable session configurations.

**Highlights:** SSH/Telnet remote access, Terminal emulation, Advanced session management, Session organization with folders, Import desktop sessions, Multiple simultaneous sessions, Customizable session settings

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Holiday Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holiday-messenger/id6754703559)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Holiday Messenger Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| HolidayMessengerPro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SecureCRT free?

SecureCRT costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Holiday Messenger free?

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

### Do SecureCRT or Holiday Messenger have ads?

Neither SecureCRT nor Holiday Messenger shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SecureCRT or Holiday Messenger?

SecureCRT ships an update every 4 months, and Holiday Messenger every 3 weeks. Most recently, SecureCRT was updated on October 26, 2026 and Holiday Messenger on October 25, 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.*