Is iPGMail still being updated?

Yes. iPGMail is actively maintained by Wyllys Ingersoll with regular releases throughout 2025. It has been on the App Store since 2011, making it one of the longest-running iOS PGP apps.

Can I import my iPGMail key into PGPony?

Yes. In iPGMail, go to Keys → select your key → Export. iPGMail produces standard ASCII-armored OpenPGP key blocks. Save the file, open it from PGPony, and it imports with the same fingerprint and UIDs.

Why is PGPony free when iPGMail charges?

Different models. iPGMail is a one-time paid app ($2.99) from a long-time independent developer. PGPony is a solo developer's app shipped free, with no monetization until late 2026 at the earliest (a self-imposed restriction). Free does not mean ad-supported or data-mining — PGPony has no ads, no analytics, and no telemetry.

Which app supports OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580)?

PGPony imports v6 keys, decrypts v6-encrypted messages, and verifies v6 signatures today. iPGMail targets RFC 4880 and RFC 6637 (v4 with ECC support); full v6 support has not yet been announced.

Does iPGMail integrate with iOS Mail.app?

iPGMail can receive PGP attachments directly from Mail.app via the iOS share extension. Inline PGP content within the email body still requires copy-paste in both iPGMail and PGPony — that's an iOS-platform constraint, not an app-specific limitation.

What key types do they support?

iPGMail supports RSA, DSA, ECDSA, EdDSA (Ed25519), and ECDH (including Curve25519) keys. PGPony supports the same set, with Ed25519 + Curve25519 as the default for new key generation.

Does either run on Android?

iPGMail is iOS only. PGPony has a native Android app with the same feature set, so a single PGP identity can follow you across both platforms.

// pgpony vs ipgmail

PGPony vs iPGMail.

iPGMail has been a quiet workhorse on iOS since 2011 — paid, focused, actively maintained by Wyllys Ingersoll. PGPony is the newer entrant: free, cross-platform, with a modern UI and OpenPGP v6 import support. Both implement the same standard. The differences are in approach.

// the short version

Want a one-time-paid, established iOS app from an independent developer with a long track record? iPGMail. Want free, cross-platform (iOS + Android), modern UI, OpenPGP v6 import, and active feature development? PGPony.

At a glance.

	PGPony	iPGMail
Platforms	iOS 17.6+, Android 8.0+	iOS only
Price	Free	$2.99 one-time
License	Proprietary	Proprietary
First released	2025	2011
Active development	Yes — regular releases	Yes — regular releases
Key generation	Ed25519 + Cv25519 (default), RSA	RSA, ECDSA, EdDSA, ECDH
OpenPGP v4 (RFC 4880)	Full	Full
OpenPGP ECC (RFC 6637)	Full	Full
OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580)	Import, decrypt, verify (gen in v6.0)	Not yet
QR key exchange	Yes	No
WKD lookup	Yes	No (keyserver search only)
Biometric unlock	Face ID / Touch ID	Face ID / Touch ID
iCloud Keychain sync	Yes	Files-based, not Keychain
iOS Mail.app share extension	Yes	Yes
Localizations	6 languages	English primarily
UI generation	iOS 17.6+ native SwiftUI	Long-evolved UIKit interface

Honest tradeoffs.

Where iPGMail wins

Track record. iPGMail has been on the App Store continuously since 2011. That\'s 14+ years of bug fixes, iOS-version transitions, and user feedback baked into the product. PGPony is much younger.
One-time purchase model. Pay $2.99 once, own it. Some users actively prefer this over "free" — it\'s a clear vendor-customer relationship without monetization concerns down the road.
Direct support relationship. Wyllys Ingersoll is the long-standing developer; users can reach him via the iPGMail support address with response history dating back over a decade.
Wider legacy key-type support. iPGMail handles DSA keys (older but still encountered in long-running PGP setups) alongside RSA and ECC. PGPony supports DSA for interop too, but iPGMail\'s older-key handling has been battle-tested longer.
Familiar workflow for long-time PGP users. If you\'ve been doing PGP on iOS since the early days, iPGMail\'s information architecture is what you\'re used to.

Where PGPony wins

Free. Self-explanatory. No barrier to install and try.
Android too. iPGMail is iOS only — if you also have an Android device, or anyone in your contact list does, PGPony covers both with the same identity.
OpenPGP v6 (RFC 9580) import support. PGPony reads v6 keys, decrypts v6 messages, and verifies v6 signatures today. iPGMail has not announced v6 support.
QR code key exchange. Hand someone your public key by scanning. Useful at meetups, conferences, in-person handoffs. iPGMail does not have this.
WKD lookup. Web Key Directory lookups happen automatically when you type a recipient\'s email — domain-published keys appear without manual import. iPGMail relies on keyserver search instead.
Modern SwiftUI interface. Built for iOS 17.6+ with native Swift / SwiftUI patterns — animations, dynamic type, accessibility, dark mode all using current iOS conventions.
Six-language localization. English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese. iPGMail is primarily English.
iCloud Keychain key sync between iOS devices. PGPony syncs keys via iCloud Keychain (Apple\'s end-to-end encrypted store), so iPad and iPhone share keys automatically. iPGMail uses file-based key transfer.

Moving between them.

Both apps produce standard OpenPGP ASCII-armored output, so moving a key (or running both side-by-side) is straightforward:

In the source app, find Export / Backup for your key. Both apps offer "ASCII armored" output.
Save the resulting .asc file to the Files app.
In the destination app, open Files and import the same .asc. Both apps recognize standard OpenPGP key blocks.
Same fingerprint, same UIDs, same subkey structure. You can keep both apps in parallel if you want a backup, or delete from the source after confirming.

The verdict.

Choose iPGMail if You\'re iOS-only, you prefer the one-time-paid model from an established independent developer, and the long-running track record matters to you. iPGMail\'s 14+ years on the App Store is a real signal of stability.
Choose PGPony if You want free. Or cross-platform (iOS + Android with the same identity). Or modern OpenPGP v6 import support. Or QR key exchange. Or WKD lookup. Or a SwiftUI-native iOS 17.6+ interface. Or localization in any of six languages.
Try both Both apps are independent of each other and use the same standard. Try PGPony free first; if you prefer iPGMail\'s feel, the $2.99 is modest. Either way, your key is portable.

Try PGPony

Free. No accounts. No tracking. Works with everything that speaks OpenPGP.

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