How the comparison works

This page explains how our comparison of the best sexting apps is built: which criteria we check, how each one is defined, how points are counted and where the information comes from. The goal is simple: you should be able to redo every check yourself, and challenge any cell if you find a better source than we did.

Who publishes this site?

This site is published by an executive of the company that develops Hush, one of the apps compared.

That is precisely why the method is public, why every cell relies on an official source, and why the criteria Hush does not meet (such as the phone number or end-to-end encryption) appear in the table exactly like the ones it does meet. Full publisher details are on our legal page.

What are the ten criteria?

The same definitions apply to every app, with no exceptions:

1. No photo required. Yes if an official source says you can create an account and use the app without uploading a profile photo.
2. No phone number. Yes if sign-up works without giving a phone number (an email or a username is enough). Partial if only one sign-up path avoids it. No if a number is always required.
3. Anonymous by default. Yes if an official source says other users see neither your real name nor your number by default and you go by a chosen handle. Partial if only part of your identity is hidden or the account stays tied to a verification.
4. Adults only. Yes if the app's own terms set 18 as the minimum age.
5. End-to-end encryption. Yes if private messages are end-to-end encrypted by default. Partial if it is only an option, such as a special chat mode you must turn on.
6. Screenshot protection. Yes if an official source says the app blocks screenshots of conversations. Partial if blocking only covers some content or some devices.
7. Free to use. Yes if the app is free to download and use (price of zero on its App Store listing).
8. Moderation. Yes if an official source describes active review of content (automated tools or a human team) and in-app reporting. Partial if only reporting or a right to remove content is described.
9. Meets new people. Yes if the app's core feature connects you with people you do not already know (discovery, random or interest-based matching). Partial for open groups and communities. No for a messenger that only links existing contacts.
10. Photo-free profiles. Yes if, by design, other users' profiles show no photo. Partial if photos are optional. No if the app is built around profiles with photos.

We chose these criteria because they answer the practical questions an adult asks before an intimate conversation: who can recognize me, who can read my messages, who can keep them, who steps in if someone abuses the app, and what it costs.

How are points calculated?

All ten criteria carry equal weight. For each one:

• Yes (met): 1 point;
• Partial: 0.5 point;
• No: 0 points;
• ? (not verified): 0 points.

An app's score is the sum of its ten cells, out of 10. Apps are sorted by score, highest first, then alphabetically when scores are tied. There is no subjective grade, no bonus and no hidden weighting.

What does the question mark mean?

A question mark means we found no citable official source for that criterion. It is not a claim that the app fails the test. The app may well do what the criterion asks, but nothing public lets us say so.

A question mark scores 0, like a no. That is a deliberate choice: for intimate conversations, a protection an app never documents is hard to rely on. In the table, tapping or clicking a question mark shows a note explaining what is missing.

A No, by contrast, means we found an official source showing the criterion is not met (for example, terms that require a phone number).

Where does the information come from?

Only from official sources published by the apps themselves:

• terms of service and privacy policies;
• help centers and community guidelines;
• app listings on the App Store (and on Google Play when the App Store has nothing).

We do not use user reviews, press articles or tests that can't be reproduced. Every Yes, Partial or No cell is tied to the address of the page that justifies it. Sources were consulted in October 2026.

Why no scores out of five, stars or user reviews?

Because an overall grade mixes things that have nothing to do with each other (design, popularity, one tester's experience) and nobody can check it. We prefer ten closed questions that anyone can answer by reading the same pages. For the same reason, this site publishes no testimonials and no user opinions.

How is the comparison updated?

Apps change their terms and features regularly. When a source changes, the affected cell is updated, along with the date shown on the comparison page. If you spot outdated information or an official source we missed, write to us through our contact page and include the link. Corrections apply in both directions, including when they lower Hush's score.