# Proton Mail vs Semaphor

The clearest difference is rating: Proton Mail at 4.8 against Semaphor's 3.5. Proton Mail also leads on review sentiment (46% vs 15%) and ratings volume (48K vs 15). Semaphor's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Proton Mail sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Semaphor sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Proton Mail holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Proton Mail has 48K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Proton Mail's written reviews are positive against 15% of Semaphor's.

Proton Mail ships an update every 11 days, Semaphor every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Proton Mail | Semaphor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-mail-encrypted-email/id979659905/reviews)** | [3.5 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/semaphor/id1093566063/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **46.1% of reviews** | 15.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#61** | — |
| Size | 272 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.2 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Proton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/979659484) | [SpiderOak, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/360584374) |

## What reviewers say

### Proton Mail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-mail-encrypted-email/id979659905)

**Currently charting:** #61 Top Free · Productivity, #61 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This encrypted email service from Switzerland prioritizes user privacy with end-to-end encryption. It offers robust security features to protect your communications from phishing, spam, and tracking, allowing you to manage your inbox with ease.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Password-protected emails, Multiple account support, Inbox organization (folders, labels), Dark mode, Phishing and spam protection

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mail Plus 1 month | $5.99 | per month |
| Unlimited 1 month | $14.99 | per month |
| Mail Plus 12 months | $47.90 | per year |
| Unlimited 1 year | $119.00 | per year |
| Mail Plus (1 year) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Proton Unlimited | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 🔒 Excellent security and privacy
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 💡 Expanding ecosystem of Proton services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow email loading times
- 📝 Lacking advanced email management features
- 💰 Expensive paid plans

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and lost email data
- Unreliable push notifications
- Inconsistent user experience between app and web

**Requested features**

- Conversation threading and email previews
- Customizable notification sounds
- Offline email access
- Improved syncing across devices


### Semaphor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/semaphor/id1093566063)

This app offers secure team communication and collaboration with end-to-end encryption and private blockchain technology. It provides features like direct messaging, file sharing, and project-specific channels for real-time teamwork.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Secure file sharing, Private direct messaging, Unlimited project channels, Real-time collaboration, Native offline mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Plan Monthly | $8.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Proton Mail free?

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

### Is Semaphor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Proton Mail or Semaphor?

Proton Mail is rated higher. Proton Mail averages 4.8 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Semaphor averages 3.5 from 15 ratings.

### Do Proton Mail or Semaphor have ads?

Neither Proton Mail nor Semaphor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Proton Mail or Semaphor?

Proton Mail ships an update every 11 days, and Semaphor every 3 weeks. Most recently, Proton Mail was updated on October 3, 2026 and Semaphor on September 23, 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.*