How PGPony compares.
Honest head-to-head comparisons between PGPony and the other OpenPGP apps people actually use. No "PGPony wins everything" copy — just where each tool fits, who it's for, and where it stops being the right choice. The encryption standard is open; the tools are interchangeable. Pick what fits your workflow.
On a phone? PGPony is the modern choice — free, on both iOS and Android, with Ed25519, OpenPGP v6 import, and active development. On desktop? Keep using GPG Suite (macOS), GnuPG (Linux/Windows), or Mailvelope (browser) and sync the same keys to PGPony for mobile.
What to look for in a PGP app.
Most "best PGP app" lists rank by feature checklists. That's not how you actually choose one. The real question is: what's the rest of your stack? Your PGP app's job is to fit cleanly between you and the channel you're using (email, messaging, files), and to interoperate cleanly with the apps your contacts use on their side.
The five questions that actually matter:
- What platforms do you use? If iPhone + Mac, you want apps that produce the same key format and let you sync keys easily. If Android-only, your options narrow.
- What channels do you send through? Email? SMS? Slack? PGP works in any text channel. Some apps lock themselves to a specific channel (FlowCrypt → Gmail, ProtonMail → its own email).
- Do you already have a PGP key? If yes, you need an app that imports your existing key without rotation. Every app on this page does that — but some support more key types than others.
- Open source or proprietary? Some users insist on open source for crypto code (a defensible position). PGPony is proprietary but uses audited open libraries; OpenKeychain and PGPro are open source.
- Free, one-time, or subscription? The PGP app market is split across all three. PGPony is free with no upsells. GPG Mail is subscription. iPGMail is one-time paid. FlowCrypt is free for personal use, paid at enterprise scale.
Head-to-head comparisons.
Eight detailed comparisons. Each one names the tradeoffs honestly, includes a feature matrix, and ends with a "who should pick what" verdict.
The macOS standard. Pair it with PGPony for mobile and keep the same keys on both.
Android-only veteran with deep K-9 Mail ties. PGPony is the modern cross-platform alternative.
Encrypted email service vs general-purpose PGP. Different problems, different answers.
Desktop browser PGP. Pair with PGPony for the phone.
Closest mobile competitor. Gmail-centric vs channel-agnostic.
Long-running paid iOS app. Modern feature parity for free, plus Android.
Open-source iOS app that has gone quiet. PGPony is the active alternative.
Best messenger ever made — and a totally different category from PGPony.
The quick answer for common situations.
Pick by what you already use
- You use macOS + iPhone Keep GPG Suite on the Mac (GPG Keychain is free, GPG Mail is now a paid Support Plan). Use PGPony on the iPhone. Export your key from GPG Keychain (right-click → Export → public + private), import into PGPony.
- You use Android + already love K-9 Mail Stay with OpenKeychain for the K-9 integration. Try PGPony alongside it if you also use iPhone — your key works in both.
- You use Android and just want modern PGP PGPony. Material 3 UI, Ed25519, biometric lock, QR key exchange.
- You use Gmail in a browser all day Mailvelope for the browser (free, open source). PGPony on the phone for when you're not at your desk.
- You want everyone in your company on PGP for Gmail FlowCrypt's enterprise tier is the established choice for that. PGPony is for individual / cross-channel use, not workspace deployments.
- You want PGP without leaving ProtonMail ProtonMail already handles PGP for you internally. PGPony is for encrypting things ProtonMail doesn't touch — files, code blocks, SMS, anything outside the inbox.
- You just want a secure chat with one person Use Signal. It's the best secure messenger ever built. PGPony is for encryption that has to travel through channels Signal doesn't reach.
Frequently asked.
Is PGPony the "best" PGP app?
"Best" depends on your platform and workflow. PGPony is the most actively-developed modern OpenPGP app available free on both iOS and Android with OpenPGP v6 import, Ed25519 generation, and modern UX. For desktop, GPG Suite (macOS) and GnuPG (everywhere) remain the references. The honest answer in any "best PGP app" question is usually: use the right one for the platform, and keep the same key on all of them.
Can I use the same PGP key in multiple apps?
Yes. Every app here implements the OpenPGP standard, so keys are portable. Export from one (usually "Export Key" or "ASCII Armored"), import into another. The receiving app reads exactly the same bytes. Your contacts don't need to know or care which app you're using.
Which PGP app is open source?
Open source: OpenKeychain (GPLv3), PGPro (GPL), Mailvelope (AGPLv3), GnuPG (GPL). FlowCrypt has publicly-available source code but a proprietary license. PGPony is proprietary but built on audited open libraries (Bouncy Castle on Android, CryptoKit + audited code on iOS).
Which apps support OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580)?
OpenPGP v6 rollout is gradual across the ecosystem. PGPony imports v6 keys, decrypts v6-encrypted messages, and verifies v6 signatures today. GnuPG 2.4+ has staged v6 support. Most consumer-facing apps still target v4 (RFC 4880) only — including iPGMail, OpenKeychain (as of writing), Mailvelope, and FlowCrypt for end-user encryption. PGPony plans full v6 generation and encrypt-to-v6 in v6.0, alongside hardware-token (YubiKey) support.
Do I need to pay for any of these apps?
PGPony, OpenKeychain, PGPro, Mailvelope, GnuPG, and GPG Keychain are all free. GPG Mail requires a Support Plan after a 30-day trial. iPGMail is a one-time $2.99 purchase. FlowCrypt is free for personal use and small organizations, paid at enterprise scale. ProtonMail and Signal have their own free + paid models that aren\'t really comparable since they\'re different categories of product.
Should I trust mobile PGP apps with my keys?
Mobile platforms (iOS and Android) provide hardware-backed keystores and per-app sandboxing — in many ways safer than a desktop OS where any user-space process can read another\'s files. PGPony stores keys in the platform keystore, encrypted at rest, isolated from other apps. The same is true of OpenKeychain on Android and iPGMail/PGPro on iOS. The main risk on mobile is the same as desktop: don\'t lose your phone without a backup.
Try PGPony
Free. No accounts. No tracking. Works with everything that speaks OpenPGP.