# eMates — user reviews > 89 indexed App Store user reviews of eMates by Unilink Technology Services, rated 2.00/5 from 1 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emates/id1573352170/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emates/id1573352170.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 0 · 4★ 0 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 0 ## What do users think of eMates? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 💡 Essential service for communication - 👍 Better than nothing **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes - 🐛 Messages not sending or receiving - 🐛 Login issues and account problems - 🐛 Payment issues and money lost - 🐛 Poor customer support - 🐛 Inconsistent performance - 🐛 Slow message delivery - 🐛 Unreliable video calls - 🐛 Apple Pay not working - 🐛 Registration difficulties - 🐛 Password reset issues - 🐛 App requires constant updates - 🐛 High costs for messages - 🐛 Unclear credit system - 🐛 Multi-factor authentication problems - 🐛 App not user-friendly - 🐛 Missing messages/drafts - 🐛 Contact list issues - 🐛 Identity verification problems **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes frequently - Messages fail to send or are lost - Messages fail to receive - Login screen freezes or doesn't respond - Cannot log in even with correct credentials - Account registration errors - Password reset functionality not working - Money added to account but not usable - Apple Pay not accepted despite being advertised - App freezes for several seconds upon opening - Contacts disappear or duplicate - Video calls not working - Multi-factor authentication codes not received or invalid - Emails marked as sent but appear as drafts - No notifications for replies - App crashes after updates - Scanned reply pages not appearing - Scrolling issues within the app - Identity verification link not working - Error messages when trying to upload ID or face scan - App not connecting to the server - Old messages disappearing or blank screens - Photos attached multiple times and charged - Dates on sent/received emails changing - Support email addresses bounce back - Neatphone facility connection problems - App not refreshing and showing old messages - Video visit requests disappearing - Email sending process disappears mid-way - Unable to schedule video visits - App not user-friendly - Confusing credit system **Most requested features** - Improve app stability and reliability - Fix message sending and receiving issues - Resolve login and account access problems - Address payment and credit issues - Enhance customer support responsiveness - Improve message delivery speed - Fix video call functionality - Ensure Apple Pay compatibility - Streamline registration process - Fix password reset and account recovery - Provide clear instructions for account crediting - Resolve multi-factor authentication issues - Improve user interface and experience - Add notifications for replies - Allow saving contacts - Make app more robust and less buggy - Address issues with image uploads - Provide clear communication on prison staff reliance ## Newest reviews (20 of 89) ### 1/5 — Clunky *2026-01-16, version 1.5.4* Slow, clunky, errors connecting to server. Support mail address in app fails and is different to the web site. Neatphone just sates communication error. Apple Pay does not work all the time. Extremely poor for a paid service. ### 1/5 — STAY AWAY FROM THIS APP *2026-01-10, version 1.5.4* Worst app invented!!!!!!!! money taking scammers the lot of you. ### 1/5 — Useless *2025-12-02, version 1.5.4* Says it accepts Apple Pay but apple pay doesn’t work and you just get a message saying something about the app settings where there is nothing about Apple Pay, you use the email link in the app to find out how fix the problem and the email just bounces back as unknown address. Just a pile of rubbish ### 1/5 — No use? *2025-11-25, version 1.5.4* Can’t save contact they just disappear ### 1/5 — Disappointing *2025-11-21, version 1.5.4* I downloaded this app but unfortunately when I tried to register no matter what I put in as my password it just said it was invalid. Very frustrating experience. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2025-11-19, version 1.5.4* Register for new account…account already exists. IT DOESNT! I’ve never used this app before. This app works as well as the UK judicial system ### 1/5 — Rubbish app scam *2025-11-18, version 1.5.4* What a scam so app was fine until I uploaded the money then it doesn’t let me spend the money not letting my send email free the lifers man ### 1/5 — Worst app ever *2025-10-04, version 1.5.4* Does this app even work? It was working 6 months ago albeit poorly but now nothing goes through, you email for help that doesn't go through. ### 1/5 — Crashes all *2025-09-21, version 1.5.4* No connection to app any more unable-to log n ### 1/5 — Please sort it out *2025-09-21, version 1.5.4* I just got an app for few days and managed to add some money and send couple of messages, patiently waiting back for response, and then all of the sudden I’ve been logged out and what ever I do I can’t login back. It’s just horrible. Like we out here been punished as well? It’s cruel. It’s only way how atm we could have any contact, and I have no clue what is going on, is he alright at all. Please with all respect dear developers you should know that this is more then app for many people. It’s lots of actual human emotions and pain involved. Please sort it out. With hope. Kind regards ### 1/5 — Awful *2025-09-21, version 1.5.4* I have deleted this app twice now to try and improve performance as have tried to have my password and kept getting taken back to the sign in screen. This is an app I currently wouldn’t recommend ### 1/5 — Clunky *2025-09-21, version 1.5.4* Slow, clunky, errors connecting to server. ### 1/5 — Frustrating app *2025-08-21, version 1.5.4* App is so temperamental, failed to load contacts. Messages deleted/missing. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2025-07-10, version 1.5.4* Nothing works. ### 1/5 — Issues recently. *2025-07-10, version 1.5.4* Not the most user friendly but ok. Seems to have stopped working on last few weeks but they still have my money ### 1/5 — Waste of time & money *2025-07-05, version 1.5.4* Totally useless service and waste of money. Avoid ### 1/5 — Slow and dysfunctional *2025-06-21, version 1.5.4* Everything is so slow and takes such a long time to send a message and you have to keep the app open till it confirms it’s sent. Their customer support is non existent. The help number don’t ring and the email just bounces back. Can’t believe there is not a better way for this. ### 1/5 — Very poor. Use the website. *2025-05-30, version 1.5.4* App is VERY buggy. Messages will often not load, or send, or get saved as a draft. Next to useless, to be honest. Also Apple Pay does NOT work on this app, despite being advertised. Use the email a prisoner website. ### 1/5 — Worst messaging app I’ve ever come across *2025-05-30, version 1.5.4* The person who signed off on this mediocre piece of utter garbage should be ashamed of themselves and either resign or be fired ### 1/5 — Worst messaging app I’ve ever come across *2025-05-02, version 1.5.4* You’d think having to pay to send messages they could produce a system that isn’t so full of bugs that sometimes it is unusable ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Horrible *2026-05-20, version 1.5.4* Beside that they stole me so many times, tried to send my emails and they were left as draft and that charge it as £2-£4 and my money went by my account even though the email was never sent. So many other times it stopped working suddenly for days and days . Delusional app! They need to do so many improvements otherwise not recommended at all because is not funny to lie and fool the people in need. ### 1/5 — App no longer works *2026-05-20, version 1.5.4* This used be good little app shame it no longer works! ### 1/5 — Poor App *2026-05-17, version 1.5.4* Aside the fact it can take days for someone to receive the message I send, if you try use Apple Pay to top up, even though Apple Pay is shown as an acceptable payment method and is the top option on the payment screen, it then says Apple Pay is not accepted. Francis Toye, come on. It costs a fortune to send a simple message that you’re probably paying nothing for. Put some of the money you’re making into app development. Typical capitalist behaviour. If this was my app I’d be ashamed of myself ### 1/5 — Too inconsistent *2026-05-03, version 1.5.4* My emails at first were getting to my partner within 20-40 minutes and I was getting a reply back within that time. He has a laptop so doesn’t have to wait for someone to print things out. But now they’re taking several hours to a day to reach him and I don’t get replies until the following day after. It’s one of the only forms of contact we have so it’s better than nothing. But as he is on suicide watch, not being able to communicate with him regularly is the worst. And I don’t understand why the app sometimes works but basically doesn’t most of the time. ### 1/5 — Dissapointing and frustrating *2026-04-29, version 1.5.4* You have to stay on the app for the emails to send it costs money to email them and money for them to reply which adds up and makes no sense the price because emailing someone should be free, you also don’t get a notification when they reply only an email there is no option to change this. When a reply is received you have to wait on the app for at least a few minutes ti show up.The whole thing needs updating. ### 1/5 — Absolute Rubbish *2026-04-16, version 1.5.4* This is supposed to be a way of keeping contact with your family, it hardly ever works or sends anything first time ! Photos are a nightmare and the advertised support does not exist the email fails and when you ring the number it just says no agents available and cuts you off. But they are very happy to take your money on top ups. Complete scam ### 1/5 — Full of issues *2026-04-03, version 1.5.4* There are numerous issues which I tried to communicate in an email via the app, only for it to bounce back as undeliverable. The app is very unstable and unreliable. I have a blank screen where previously old messages were. A message I sent has been completely lost. Often it does not connect to the server and can take days to send/receive messages. ### 1/5 — Pointless *2026-03-05, version 1.5.4* Works for a week then dosent let you log back in after taken your money ### 1/5 — Shocking! *2026-02-19, version 1.5.4* Ive emailed them regarding the problems im getting, msgs not received, paying for replies but never getting them, sending pics and them not being received. Im spending so much money whilst theyre not even being sent/received!! Its a joke and they have blamed it on me using the welsh language to speak to my partner even though he is welsh in a welsh prison in Wales!! Baffled!! ### 1/5 — App don’t work *2026-02-06, version 1.5.4* App don’t work ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Improvements lately *2023-04-11, version 1.4.2* I wasn’t impressed with this app when I first started using it as there were loads of glitches and things were taking time to get resolved. I’ve been using the app just over a month now and I must say it’s dramatically improved and is less glitchy and the team responded to my message when the site was down one weekend. So I’m back on here to leave a better rating as I do think this app is way better recently. Also I firmly believe now that one of my messages that went missing, was through fault of the prison and not the app, as they’ve not passed on other stuff either. I think it depends who is working in the office that day and whether or not they can be bothered to print and pass the message on. Based on that, I’m leaving a better rating than before now the tech issues have been ironed out. ### 4/5 — Few issues but only recently. *2025-03-12, version 1.5.4* I’ve been using this app for almost 2 months now. It’s been absolutely fine. But I’ve had to check a few times in a row for the replies to pop up. The app has been buggy for a few days. Everyday it’s changing the dates on sent and received emails. Changing it to the current date. I also have had situations where it adds my photo attachment multiple times and charging me for each one. One email had 21 photos attached - not by me but CHARGED me!! ### 4/5 — Let down by multi factor authentication *2024-02-18, version 1.5.4* The MFA refreshes every time you open the app which means you’re never able to fetch the relevant code. Do not enable MFA and you’ll be fine. Otherwise great app. ### 4/5 — please help *2023-09-05, version 1.4.7* how can I use it ? ### 3/5 — The programmers should be ashamed of themselves *2024-07-03, version 1.5.4* I am disappointed in the quality of this app. It isn’t worth trying to use the app when the online version is considerably better. That said, even when using the online version, emails are not guaranteed to arrive at the prison and about a fifth of replies don’t make it back. This irritates me as I pay for this service and there isn’t any way to claim money back, which ironically, since it’s to a prison, has been “stolen” from me when emails aren’t delivered. It is providing a very important service and for a lot of people the cost of this service is a problem when it is so unreliable. I honestly can’t see why it is acceptable for it to be so poor; the programmers ought to hang their heads in shame. It’s hardly rocket science programming, is it? I log in and I can’t even see any messages! Just what is the company trying to achieve here? ### 3/5 — Okay, but could be better. *2024-02-15* For the past week and especially today the app keeps having trouble communicating with the server which means I cannot stay in contact with the person I am talking to. Not only me, but other friends and loved ones are having the same issue. This is not ideal and I’d like this to be sorted asap ### 3/5 — Needs Work *2024-01-15, version 1.5.4* App needs a lot of work, tweaks and cleaning up ### 3/5 — Money *2023-10-16, version 1.4.7* The app is amazing,however, the person im writing too is no longer there and I have money on my account how do I get my money back? ### 2/5 — Communication? *2024-09-15, version 1.5.4* Hi, just wondering why it takes so long for my emails to get to my recipient. I have two waiting to be sent … or be replied to. I believed that, this service was designed to help the prisoner feel less isolated. And feel like they can communicate with people on the outside with ease. Stopping them from mental illness issues and from self harm thoughts. Please can you explain, why it can take upto 6 days for an email to be responded to. Thankyou ### 2/5 — Confused 🫤 *2024-09-01* I just don’t get it. Recently I had received a letter from a friend in prison with a flyer in saying to download this for quicker mails to and from the prison. I signed up got verified etc and put a fiver on. I’ve sent 3 emails and I know my friend has received at least one of them however I have also paid for 3 reply slips but no replies??!! Can you tell me why this is happening and what I’m actually spending my money on that I’ve used on this app? It’s 25p for a reply sheet also. It says the establishment is listed for replies so what’s going on?? Cheers --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-11.*