# Wire vs Element Classic

The clearest difference is update cadence: Wire at fortnightly against Element Classic's monthly. Element Classic's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

Element Classic holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 917 and 578 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Wire's written reviews are positive against 44% of Element Classic's.

Wire ships an update fortnightly, Element Classic monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wire | Element Classic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (917 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wire-secure-messenger/id930944768/reviews) | **[3.3 (578 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-classic/id1083446067/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **917** | 578 |
| Positive reviews | 38.8% of reviews | **43.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 124 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Wire Swiss GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1039402726) | [Vector Creations Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154157774) |

## What reviewers say

### Wire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wire-secure-messenger/id930944768)

Securely communicate and collaborate with end-to-end encryption. This app offers a unified platform for calls, chats, file sharing, and video conferences, designed for both small teams and large organizations. It prioritizes privacy with features like self-deleting messages and guest links.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Secure calls and video conferences, File and document sharing, Self-deleting messages, Guest rooms for external collaboration, Cross-device synchronization, Customizable interface

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and smooth
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Elegant and intuitive design
- 👍 Great voice and call quality
- 👍 Useful features like drawing, GIFs, and file sharing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, crashes, and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and message delivery
- 🐛 Laggy performance on older devices
- 🐛 Confusing user interface
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Messages getting stuck on 'Sending'
- Inability to delete call history
- Crashes on app launch after updates
- Incompatibility with older iOS versions
- Issues with photo/video sharing and playback

**Requested features**

- Add read receipts
- Allow customizable notification sounds
- Improve contact management and group chat features
- Add support for Apple Watch
- Provide backup and restore options for chat history


### Element Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-classic/id1083446067)

This app is a legacy version of a communication platform, offering secure messaging and collaboration. It will receive security updates until the end of 2025 but no new features.

**Highlights:** Secure messaging, Collaboration, Legacy version, Security updates

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Innovative features
- 🌐 Decentralized and open-source

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📚 Steep learning curve
- 🤔 Confusing user experience
- 🚫 Lack of key features

**Reported bugs**

- Constant crashes and freezes
- Issues with message decryption and verification
- Unreliable notifications and sync issues
- Inability to leave or delete empty rooms
- Problems with image and video sharing

**Requested features**

- Ability to pause notifications
- Option to set messages to disappear after a certain time
- Improved search functionality
- Better integration with other apps and services
- Customizable font size and notification sounds


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Wire free?

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

### Is Element Classic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Wire or Element Classic?

Element Classic is rated higher. Wire averages 3.1 out of 5 from 917 ratings, while Element Classic averages 3.3 from 578 ratings.

### Do Wire or Element Classic have ads?

Neither Wire nor Element Classic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Wire or Element Classic?

Wire ships an update fortnightly, and Element Classic monthly. Most recently, Wire was updated on September 23, 2026 and Element Classic on September 24, 2026.

---

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