Maddy
maddy's latest release is a security fix, five months after its last feature work.
Comparison · Comms
Session vs Subsplash
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Session and Subsplash — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Session vs Subsplash: at a glance
| Feature | Session | Subsplash |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Comms | Comms |
| Velocity score | 5.0 | 2.5 |
| Sparks · 30d | 0 | 0 |
| Top themes | private messaging, post-quantum, session pro, community funded | church-platform, workflow-automation, people-management, giving-management |
| Last editorial update | 8h ago | 1h ago |
| Website | Visit → | — |
What is Session?
Session survived its funding scare; now Pro is on hold and Protocol v2 is the bet.
Session's 2026 started with a cofounder's appeal warning the project might not continue, followed in June by news that community support had restored its runway. Since then the feed has tracked Session Pro: release preparation in August, a proposed change to Pro's tokenomics, a beta submitted to app stores in September, then in October a pause on the Pro launch while talks with an allied privacy ecosystem continue. Infrastructure work continued, with lighter Session Node software in mid-October.
What is Subsplash?
Subsplash gives church staff notes on every person and every Workflow card.
Subsplash runs giving, media, people and workflow tools for churches. Late September brought notes on People profiles and Workflow cards, board search and hide-completed checklists in Workflows, gift totals and recurring-gift status in Giving, and timestamped share links for media. October added multi-select actions on People.
Session vs Subsplash: editorial side-by-side
Session
5.0COMMS
Session survived its funding scare; now Pro is on hold and Protocol v2 is the bet.
◆ Current state
Session's 2026 started with a cofounder's appeal warning the project might not continue, followed in June by news that community support had restored its runway. Since then the feed has tracked Session Pro: release preparation in August, a proposed change to Pro's tokenomics, a beta submitted to app stores in September, then in October a pause on the Pro launch while talks with an allied privacy ecosystem continue. Infrastructure work continued, with lighter Session Node software in mid-October.
◆ Where it's heading
Protocol v2, adding forward secrecy, post-quantum encryption and better linked-device handling, is now the main technical thread, with an invite-only alpha planned. Pro's monetisation model is in flux, so the revenue side remains unresolved.
◆ Prediction
Unclear whether Pro launches in its current form; the next concrete step is more likely a Protocol v2 alpha announcement.
Subsplash
2.5COMMS
Subsplash gives church staff notes on every person and every Workflow card.
◆ Current state
Subsplash runs giving, media, people and workflow tools for churches. Late September brought notes on People profiles and Workflow cards, board search and hide-completed checklists in Workflows, gift totals and recurring-gift status in Giving, and timestamped share links for media. October added multi-select actions on People.
◆ Where it's heading
The platform is filling in the record-keeping that church staff did in other tools: notes, handoffs, follow-ups and giving totals now live next to the person or card. Workflows keeps getting features for busy boards and team handoffs. The releases are practical and incremental rather than new product lines.
◆ Prediction
Expect Workflows and People to keep converging, for example notes or tasks shared between a person and their cards. The entries say nothing new about the AI features mentioned earlier in the year.
Alternatives to Session and Subsplash
Other Comms products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Session or Subsplash.
Grain
Grain adds consent controls and rule-based privacy as its meeting data reaches more AI tools.
Converse.js
Converse.js 14.0.1 fixes OMEMO:2 group decryption broken by Chromium 153.
Element iOS
Element Classic now asks its own users to move to Element X, if their server opts in.
Brosix
Brosix follows its communities launch with a referral push and a private-room how-to.
VerneMQ
VerneMQ follows its year-in-the-making 2.2.0 with a quick round of subscription fixes.
See all Session alternatives → · See all Subsplash alternatives →
Recent activity from Session and Subsplash
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 3d agoSubsplashPeople Multi-Select
- 15d agoSessionSmaller nodes, stronger encryption: Oxen 11.7, Storage Server 2.12 and Session Router 1.1
- 21d agoSessionSession Protocol v2: An Update on PFS, Post-Quantum and Linked Devices
- 26d agoSessionSession is taking part in Octant's Epoch 13 privacy round
- 28d agoSessionDevelopment Update - Stability Fixes and Network Improvements
- 1mo agoSubsplashGift totals and recurring status in Giving
- 1mo agoSubsplashNotes on People
- 1mo agoSubsplashShare links that start a video at the current timestamp
- 1mo agoSubsplashCard search and cleaner checklists in Workflows
- 1mo agoSubsplashNotes on Workflow Cards
- 2mo agoSessionSession Pro beta submitted to app stores
- 2mo agoSessionA proposed change to Session Pro's tokenomics
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Session and Subsplash?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Session is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Session better than Subsplash?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Session is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Comms products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Session?
Top Session alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Session alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/session for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Subsplash?
Top Subsplash alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Subsplash alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/subsplash for the full list with editorial commentary on each.