Hush vs Pure: two discreet apps, side by side
The short answer. Pure, a dating app built on personal ads, wins on phone number: its privacy policy does not require one, while Hush asks for phone verification. Hush, an anonymous no-photo chat app, is free and its profiles carry no photo, while Pure needs a subscription to chat and leaves photos optional. Both are 18+ only and block screenshots inside chats.
Pure (styled PURE in the app stores) is a dating app run by Online Classifieds AG, a company based in Switzerland. Its whole model rests on personal ads: you write one describing the kind of experience you are looking for, and only once it is posted can you see everyone else's. People looking for a discreet way to meet other adults, with chats that don't pile up forever, tend to land on it sooner or later. Hush is an anonymous no-photo chat app, built for talking with new people without showing your face. Both are aimed at adults who care about discretion, and on our grid they are also the two closest apps.
Both apps were checked against the ten criteria in our methodology. For Pure, every cell comes from an official page: its FAQ, terms, privacy policy, safety page and App Store listing, all consulted in November 2026. A question mark means we found nothing citable, not that the app fails the criterion.
What sets Pure and Hush apart?
On Pure, everything starts with the ad. You describe the date you have in mind, pick your turn-ons from a list and can attach up to three photos. According to its FAQ, photos are not required and can leave your face out, as long as they are genuinely yours. When two people like each other, a chat opens. By default it expires after 24 hours, along with everything written and shared in it, unless you both agree to switch the timer off.
On Hush, there are no ads and no photos: profiles carry none, by design, and the app connects you with people you have not met. Conversations happen in writing or by voice note.
So the real split is about pictures and price. Pure lets each member decide whether to show photos, and keeps chatting for subscribers. Hush takes photos off profiles for everyone and is free to download and use.
How do they compare, criterion by criterion?
| Criterion | Hush | Pure |
|---|---|---|
| No photo required | Yes | Yes |
| No phone number | No | Yes |
| Anonymous by default | Yes | Yes |
| Adults only | Yes | Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | ? |
| Screenshot protection | Yes | Yes |
| Free to use | Yes | No |
| Moderation | Yes | Yes |
| Meets new people | Yes | Yes |
| Photo-free profiles | Yes | Partial |
That gives Hush 8 out of 10 and Pure 7.5 out of 10, the narrowest gap in our whole comparison. Row by row:
Phone number. Pure wins. Its privacy policy lists the data required to create an account: gender, sexual orientation, date of birth and an account ID. A phone number is not on that list, and email is optional. You sign in with an Apple, Google or similar account. Hush requires phone verification at sign-up, so it does not meet this criterion.
Photos required. A tie. Neither app makes you upload a photo of yourself. Pure's FAQ says pictures are not necessary, though they speed things up.
Anonymity. A tie. According to Pure's FAQ, other members see neither your email nor your real name, only your ad. On Hush, other members see neither your face nor your contact details, its terms make user anonymity a condition of use, and profiles have no contact details field.
Minimum age. A tie. Pure's terms set 18 as the minimum age, and its FAQ describes age checks by face scan or ID where the law requires them, such as in the UK. Hush's safety page says it is 18+ only, with age verified at sign-up.
Screenshots. A tie. Pure's FAQ says photos, videos and chats cannot be copied, saved or screenshotted, and that you get a notification when your chat partner tries. Hush's safety page says screenshots are blocked inside conversations. Both run into the same limit: a second device can still photograph the screen.
Moderation. A tie. Pure's safety page describes a mix of automated systems and manual reviews by its team, and its FAQ explains how to report a member from a chat or from the feed. Hush describes active moderation and in-app reporting on its safety page.
Meeting new people. A tie: it is the core of both apps, through the ad feed on Pure and direct matching on Hush.
Price. Hush wins. Pure's App Store listing says plainly that you have to subscribe to get inside and chat with other members, on a weekly, monthly or annual plan. Its terms mention occasional free trials, not a free plan. Hush is free to download and use.
Photo-free profiles. Hush wins. No Hush profile shows a photo, by design. On Pure, photos are optional, so some members post them and some don't, which is a partial under our definition.
Encryption. Neither scores. Hush's privacy policy says messages are not end-to-end encrypted. For Pure, no official page mentions end-to-end encryption of chats, so the cell stays a question mark.
More examplesTonight I want to take my time. All of it.
Which Pure features fall outside our grid?
A few of Pure's features don't map to any of our ten criteria, but they matter for discretion:
- Chats that expire. By default a conversation disappears after 24 hours. Both people can turn the timer off if they want to keep talking.
- View-once media. A photo or video sent in self-destruct mode is gone once it has been opened.
- Media rules. You can blur or block photos flagged as explicit, in the feed and in your chats.
- Verification badge. Optional, it compares a selfie with your photos to confirm you are the person in the ad.
These tools limit what a conversation leaves behind. They don't replace caution, and Pure's own FAQ says as much: keep your identity to yourself until you trust the other person.
Which one should you choose?
Keeping your phone number out of it is your top priority. Pure meets that criterion and Hush does not. Budget for a subscription if you want to chat.
You want to chat without paying. Hush is free; Pure requires a subscription to reach its chats.
You want nobody's face on display, yours included. Hush fits better, since no profile shows a photo. On Pure you can stay photo-free, but other members may post pictures.
You want conversations that don't pile up. Pure's chats expire after 24 hours by default, a design choice Hush does not describe in the sources we consulted.
You want verified encryption. Neither one. For talking with someone you already know, a messenger that encrypts by default is the better tool, as our Hush vs Telegram page explains for Secret Chats.
What should you do on either app?
- Use a separate identity. A handle and an email you use nowhere else, and no details about your job, neighborhood or social accounts.
- Stay in the app until trust is built. A new contact who pushes to move to another messenger fast is a classic scam move.
- Skip early video calls and don't send your face to someone you met online.
- Know the exit. If someone threatens to share your messages: don't pay, keep the evidence, block, and report at ic3.gov. Our sexting safety guide has the full plan, and our guide to anonymous sexting explains how to keep your identity separate.
To see where Pure sits among all thirteen apps, check our full ranking. For another app that skips the phone number, read Hush vs Kik.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pure app?
A dating app for adults run by Online Classifieds AG in Switzerland. You post a personal ad, then browse other members' ads and chat with the people you match with.
Is Pure free?
The download is free, but its App Store listing says you have to subscribe to get inside and chat. Hush is free to download and use.
Does Pure need a phone number?
Not according to its privacy policy: a phone number is not among the data required, and you sign in with an Apple, Google or similar account. Hush requires phone verification at sign-up.
Does Pure block screenshots?
Yes, according to its FAQ: photos, videos and chats cannot be screenshotted, and you are notified of an attempt. As with Hush, a second device can still photograph the screen.
Are Pure chats end-to-end encrypted?
No official Pure page mentions it, so the cell stays a question mark. Hush does not encrypt messages end to end.