9 Apps That Don't Look Like Messaging Apps, But Are (2024)

Co-authored byHannah DillonReviewed byStan Kats

Last Updated: July 31, 2023Fact Checked

Hago

Download Article

1. Hago is a party game app with a chat function. While the main focus of this app is playing games, it does have a chat function. The chat function isn't private, but the app may not immediately seem like an app with messaging functionality. The app's icon, a yellow background with a white and black smiling face, also doesn't make it seem like a messaging app.

   • Hago is available on iOS and Android.^[1]

Advertisem*nt

Yubo

Download Article

1. Yubo is a social media app. While this app isn't a game, it does have messaging functionality. It also doesn't readily look like a messaging app as the app icon is yellow with a black grinning mouth on it, which makes it look like a game. Because of Yubo's game-like icon, people may use it to hide their cheating.

   • Yubo is available on iOS and Android.^[2]

Download Article

1. Calculator # and Calculator Pro+ are not the same app but work similarly. While this isn't a game, these apps are very popular as they actually hide messages behind a PIN. Both of these apps look like a calculator, but if you input a PIN into the calculator it will open up the secret messaging app.

   • Calculator# is for iOS^[3], and Calculator Pro+ is for Android.^[4]

Advertisem*nt

NetSfere Secure Messaging

Download Article

1. NetSfere is designed for businesses but could be used as a secret message app. This is because NetSfere's app icon doesn't look like a messaging app—it's simply a white sphere with two red lines going through it.

   • NetSfere is available on both iOS and Android.^[5]

Dust

Download Article

1. Dust is a heavily-encrypted messaging app. The app's purpose is to give you a safer way to message people, but some may use it to send secret messages because it doesn't look like a texting app. The app's icon is black with two white squares on it.

   • Dust, formerly called Cyber Dust, is available on iOS and Android.^[6]

Advertisem*nt

Gem4Me

Download Article

1. Gem4Me is an alternative messaging app. It's not necessarily a secret app, but as the app icon doesn't look like a texting app, it may go unnoticed. The app's icon is red-orange with an image of a diamond with a circle swirling around it.

   • Gem4Me is available on iOS and Android.^[7]

Secret Messenger

Download Article

1. Secret Messenger is an encrypted messaging app. While it doesn't require a PIN or passcode to access, the app itself doesn't look like a messaging app. The icon has a white background with a black drawing of a ghost with horns on it, which makes it look like a game. This makes the app popular with people who might use it to hide their cheating.

   • Secret Messenger is available on iOS and Android.^[8]

Advertisem*nt

magicApp

Download Article

1. MagicApp is a texting and calling app. The app allows you to get a second number that you can use to call or text other people. While this is not an uncommon type of app, magicApp is different in that the app icon doesn't look like a texting or calling app icon—it is simply a blue icon with a white "M" on it.

   • MagicApp is available on iOS and Android.^[9]

MySudo

Download Article

1. MySudo is an app designed for private internet use. It allows you to privately access the web, shop, as well as call and text. There is no password to access the app so it's not secret, but the app doesn't look like a messaging app. The app's icon has a purple to blue gradient background and has white text with the word "SUDO".

   • MySudo is available on iOS and Android.^[10]

Advertisem*nt

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question

Tips

How helpful is this?