Securus Mobile vs Pay Tel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Securus Mobile
Stay connected with incarcerated loved ones through video calls, messaging, and photo sharing. Manage your account, send money for purchases, and receive balance alerts. Services may vary by location.
- Video calling
- Digital messaging
- Photo/video/eCard sharing
- Prepaid calling
- Account management
- Fund incarcerated accounts
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From the leader in corrections technology, Securus Mobile allows you to stay in touch, no matter the distance. With our industry-best application, you can connect with your incarcerated loved one, as well as send money for purchases like media and communications… all in just a few clicks, right from your phone or tablet. Securus Mobile gives you the power to take video calls from your loved one, send and receive digital messages in real time, as well as manage your Securus account (with personal options like adding contacts, enabling notifications, balance alerts and autopay) in one convenient spot! Please note: Services vary by location – please visit securustech.net for additional information, frequently asked questions and additional ways to support your loved one. From intake through release, Securus is always here to help. The Securus Mobile App Offers: • Prepaid Calling • Video Calling • Digital Messaging • Photo, Video and eCard Sharing • Securus Debit Incarcerated Account Deposits • International Funding and Connections • …and so much more.
Pay Tel
Stay connected with loved ones. Receive instant alerts for messages and notifications. Easily view your balance and add funds, or send photos to inmates in eligible correctional facilities.
- Instant message alerts
- Unread message count
- Current balance visibility
- Add funds link
- Send photos to inmates
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The Pay Tel app provides you with easy access to important functionality: Instant alerts for any notifications from Pay Tel™ or your inteleMESSAGE™ contacts. Current unread messages count indicator. Just press to open inteleMESSAGE™. Visibility to your current balance, and a link to the main PayTel.com site for Adding Funds. Send photos to inmates in eligible facilities.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Securus Mobile at 4.6 against Pay Tel's 1.6. Securus Mobile also leads on ratings volume (50K vs 126) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). Pay Tel's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Securus Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Securus Mobile has 50K ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Securus Mobile's written reviews are positive against 4% of Pay Tel's.
Securus Mobile ships an update every 5 weeks, Pay Tel every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Securus Mobile | Pay Tel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (50K ratings) — better | 1.6 (126 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 12.4% of reviews — better | 3.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 50K — better | 126 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #41 — better | #199 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 101 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES LLC | Pay Tel Communications |
Customer experience
Securus Mobile
Pay Tel
User reviews
Securus Mobile
From 50K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient video visits
- 💡 Helpful for staying connected with incarcerated loved ones
- 👍 Appreciate the service despite issues
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent technical issues and app crashes
- 💰 Expensive fees and charges
- 🤖 Poor customer service and lack of support
- 🔌 Unreliable connectivity and call quality
- 📤 Difficulty sending messages and photos
Pay Tel
From 126 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📱 Enables communication with incarcerated loved ones
- 📹 Video calling functionality available
- 💬 Messaging feature when working properly
- ✅ App works smoothly after recent updates (per some users)
- 🎯 Easy to add funds/make payments
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- ❌ Messages fail to send or display
- 🔌 Constant login errors and authentication failures
- ⏱️ Extremely slow loading times
- 🔄 App randomly logs users out mid-session
Bugs and requests
Securus Mobile
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues and account problems
- Scheduled video visits not working
- Messages and photos not being delivered
- Frequent app crashes and technical difficulties
Requested features
5 requests- Improve video call quality and reliability
- Provide better customer support and communication
- Reduce fees and make service more affordable
- Add notification features for messages
- Improve app stability and reduce bugs
Pay Tel
Reported bugs
21 issues- App crashes on launch or during use
- Login authentication errors persist across sessions
- Messages fail to send despite payment being deducted
- Messages don't appear in inbox despite being sent
- App logs out randomly while actively in use
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- Typing causes screen to flicker and delete message content
- Blank white screens when trying to view messages
- App won't work when Wi-Fi is enabled (Error 403)
- Incorrect notification counts
- Balance doesn't update after adding funds
- Video call invitations don't pop up or display
- Call connections drop mid-conversation
- Echo/feedback during calls
- Calls ring once then hang up immediately
- Account lockout with 'phone number doesn't belong to account' error
- PIN number errors preventing login
- App won't open on certain devices (iPhone specific issues)
- Messages appear days late
- Duplicate messages being sent and charged
- App freezes when typing long messages
- Website login doesn't sync with app login
Requested features
12 requests- Improved app stability and performance optimization
- Better customer service responsiveness (live chat, phone support)
- Reduced pricing for calls and messages
- Same-day video visit scheduling
- Better message persistence (don't delete on app exit)
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Improved call quality and connection stability
- Wi-Fi compatibility fix
- Better user interface design and navigation
- Automatic message saving/drafts
- Transaction history visibility
- Refund policy for failed transactions
- Faster fund processing and balance updates
In-app purchases
Securus Mobile
No in-app purchases
Pay Tel
No in-app purchases
