PGP & Encryption Tools for Mobile
Last Updated: August 2026
Using PGP on a phone is possible, but mobile support isn’t as mature or consistent as it is on desktop. The tools below cover OpenPGP encryption, encrypted email, file encryption, and encrypted text on Android and iOS.
Important: PGP protects the content you encrypt. It does not automatically hide metadata such as your IP address, who you communicate with, when you communicate, or information exposed by the app or service you’re using.
Android
OpenKeychain
One of the best-known OpenPGP key-management applications for Android.
Features:
- Create and import OpenPGP keys
- Encrypt and decrypt text/files
- Sign messages and files
- Verify PGP signatures
- Manage public and private keys
- Integrates with compatible Android applications
Development status: OpenKeychain’s developers now state that the project is no longer actively developed. Security fixes and basic maintenance may continue, but new features aren’t currently being developed.
Because of this, it’s still useful for existing users, but beginners should be aware of its maintenance status before depending on it long-term.
FlowCrypt
FlowCrypt provides PGP-encrypted email on Android and iOS.
Features:
- Send and receive OpenPGP-encrypted email
- Generate or import PGP keys
- Digital signatures
- Gmail support
- Other email providers supported on Android
FlowCrypt is particularly useful for people who want PGP email without manually copying encrypted text between applications. Its current documentation confirms both Android and iOS apps.
iPhone & iPad
PGP Everywhere
PGP Everywhere provides OpenPGP functionality directly on iOS.
Features:
- Generate PGP key pairs
- Import and export keys
- Encrypt/decrypt text
- Encrypt/decrypt files
- Sign and verify messages
- PGP keyboard extension
- Face ID/Touch ID support
Its keyboard extension allows PGP operations from other applications rather than requiring everything to be composed inside the PGP application itself.
Note: It’s a paid application, and users should check its current App Store update history and compatibility before relying on it.
FlowCrypt for iOS
FlowCrypt also provides an iPhone/iPad application for PGP-encrypted email.
The iOS version currently focuses primarily on Gmail, whereas the Android version has broader email-provider support.
File Encryption
AxCrypt
AxCrypt is NOT an OpenPGP application. It belongs here only as an alternative for encrypted files.
AxCrypt uses AES encryption and provides Android and iOS applications. However, its current mobile apps primarily allow you to open files encrypted using the desktop version; AxCrypt says the mobile apps cannot currently encrypt files directly on the phone.
For that reason, I would consider AxCrypt a secondary option rather than a primary recommendation for mobile encryption.
Sequoia-PGP
Sequoia-PGP is an open-source implementation of OpenPGP written primarily in Rust.
This is not a typical beginner mobile PGP application.
It’s better thought of as a collection of OpenPGP libraries and tools that developers can use to build secure applications. Beginners simply looking to encrypt/decrypt PGP messages on their phone should generally use a dedicated application instead.
Browser-Based Encryption Tools
PrivX.li
Browser-based encrypted-note/text utility.
Because browser-based encryption tools operate in a different trust model from dedicated PGP applications, do not treat them as replacements for a properly managed OpenPGP keypair when identity verification or long-term cryptographic identity matters.
CredentialsCreator
Provides browser-based privacy/encryption utilities and can be useful for practicing encrypted communication.
For particularly sensitive information, prefer established, independently reviewed encryption software rather than relying solely on a web application.
Protect Your Private Key
Your private PGP key is the most sensitive part of your PGP setup.
Never:
- Send your private key to another person
- Post it publicly
- Store an unencrypted backup in cloud storage
- Confuse your private key with the public key you’re supposed to share
Protect private keys with a strong passphrase and maintain a secure backup.
Your public key is designed to be shared.
Quick Picks
| Need | Recommended Tool |
|---|---|
| Android PGP | OpenKeychain maintenance-only |
| Android PGP email | FlowCrypt |
| iOS PGP | PGP Everywhere |
| iOS PGP email | FlowCrypt |
| Encrypted desktop files accessible on mobile | AxCrypt |
| OpenPGP development/library | Sequoia-PGP |
Beginner recommendation
If your goal is simply to encrypt/decrypt PGP messages and verify signatures, use a dedicated OpenPGP application rather than a random online PGP website.
And always verify someone’s full PGP fingerprint through a trusted source before relying on their key. A successfully encrypted message only proves that you encrypted something to a particular key—it doesn’t prove that the key actually belongs to the person you intended to contact.