# mdMessage vs Tarsier

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tarsier at monthly against mdMessage's every 4 months. Tarsier also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for mdMessage against 5.0 for Tarsier. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tarsier has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

mdMessage ships an update every 4 months, Tarsier monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | mdMessage | Tarsier |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdmessage-secure-messaging/id984935781/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tarsier-secure-chat/id6449430440/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 21 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Medical Design Technologies, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/361252235) | [奇 莫](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688970482) |

## What reviewers say

### mdMessage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdmessage-secure-messaging/id984935781)

Securely message healthcare professionals and colleagues with this HIPAA-compliant application. Share unlimited messages, photos, and audio notes across all your devices. Enjoy fast, secure communication with advanced privacy features.

**Highlights:** HIPAA compliant secure messaging, Unlimited messages, photos, and audio notes, Syncs across all devices (desktop, tablet, phone), Message deletion from devices and browsers, Photo sharing without saving to camera roll, Large group chats and identifiable patient chats

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tarsier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tarsier-secure-chat/id6449430440)

This secure messaging app offers a private and decentralized communication experience. It prioritizes user privacy by requiring only a nickname and employing end-to-end encryption. Enjoy unlimited group chats and open-source flexibility across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Decentralized architecture, Nickname registration, Unlimited group chat, Open source, Multi-platform support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is mdMessage free?

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

### Is Tarsier free?

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

### Which has better reviews, mdMessage or Tarsier?

mdMessage and Tarsier are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do mdMessage or Tarsier have ads?

Neither mdMessage nor Tarsier shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, mdMessage or Tarsier?

mdMessage ships an update every 4 months, and Tarsier monthly. Most recently, mdMessage was updated on September 25, 2026 and Tarsier on September 28, 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.*