Comparison

thePAY Mobile Recharge vs ethnogram

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

thePAY Mobile Recharge

This app allows users in Korea to easily recharge prepaid mobile phones, international call services, and overseas e-loads. It offers competitive pricing and supports various users, including those with prepaid or MVNO plans. No sign-up is required, and payments are made securely with a check card.

Highlights
  • Recharge prepaid phones
  • Recharge international calls
  • Recharge overseas e-loads
  • No sign-up or login required
  • Secure check card payments
  • Supports SIM card extensions
Features
Read full description

thePAY – Your All-in-One Mobile Recharge & Everyday Services App For over 10 years, thePAY has been helping customers stay connected with fast, convenient mobile recharge services. From prepaid SIM cards to a wide range of everyday lifestyle services, thePAY brings everything together in one app. · Start with thePAY, from SIM cards to everyday essentials. Get a 2,000P Welcome Bonus when you install the app for the first time! [Key Features] ◈ Prepaid Mobile Recharge Recharge prepaid SIM cards from over 30 mobile carriers across Korea anytime, anywhere. Simply enter the phone number to top up your own balance or your family and friends' numbers in just a few taps. ◈ Overseas Recharge (e-Load) Send mobile credit and pay everyday utility bills for your family back home. Support includes: Mobile top-ups, utility bills (electricity/gas), internet services, gift cards and more. ◈ International Calling Need to make an important call when internet calling isn't available? Enjoy reliable international calls with SK international call and premium call services. Why Choose thePAY? 1. 300+ Digital Products Access over 300 digital products, including: Game credits, gift cards & e-vouchers, streaming top-ups, utility bill payments, and mobile recharges. 2. Essential Services for Foreign Residents thePAY offers helpful services designed specifically for foreigners living in Korea Loan Application Assistance for Foreign Residents SIM Card Validity Extension Service Expert Support for Korean Mobile Services Online Shopping Purchase Assistance Visa Application & Documentation Support Remittance Exchange Rate Comparison 3. Multiple Payment Options Credit/Debit Card Virtual Bank Account Convenience Store Payment App Card Payments Partner Digital Wallets Auto Debit and many more. Secure & Safe Payments Your security is our priority. Protect your personal information with: Biometric authentication, password protection App Permsisions [Required Permissions] Phone: Required for international calling. Contatcs: Used to access your contacts when making international calls. [Optional Permissions] Camera: Used to scan card information, ID cards, and other documents. Storage: Save and upload images. You can continue using app without granting optional permissions, although some features may be unavailable. ◈ Customer Support Multilingual Support. Available in: Korean English, Thai, Burmese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Uzbek, Russian, Indonesian, Mongolian, Khmer, Sinhala. • Phone: +82 1666-0146 (Weekdays: 09:00–21:00 / Weekends & Public Holidays: 10:00–19:00) • Fax: +82 2 6919 2424 • Address: No. 910, ACE Techno Tower 10, 196 Gasan Digital 1-ro, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul 08502, South Korea. • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepayeng

About

ethnogram

Connect with the Russian-speaking community worldwide. Find specialists, services, and businesses, or promote your own. Stay updated on community news and events.

Highlights
  • Directory of people and businesses
  • Professional business pages
  • Reviews and ratings
  • Chat with media support
  • Interactive map of businesses
  • Community feed for news and events
  • Favorites list
Features
Read full description

Ethnogram — это инновационное приложение для русскоязычного сообщества. Платформа создана для жителей Южной Кореи и доступна для русскоговорящих по всему миру, объединяя соотечественников в единое цифровое пространство. Здесь удобно находить нужных специалистов и услуги, продвигать собственное дело, заводить знакомства и быть в курсе жизни сообщества — где бы вы ни находились. Ключевые возможности Ethnogram: — Каталог людей и бизнесов: Два независимых раздела для поиска. «Люди» — публичные профили для знакомств и общения. «Бизнесы» — карточки специалистов, мастеров, школ, магазинов и сервисов. Удобная система категорий и фильтров, поиск по любому городу и стране — от Сеула до Москвы, Берлина, Нью-Йорка и далее. — Профессиональные бизнес-страницы: Создайте карточку своего дела за пару минут: название, логотип, описание услуг, рабочие часы, область обслуживания, контакты. Принимайте заявки клиентов напрямую через встроенный чат и собирайте отзывы. — Отзывы и рейтинги: Звёздная оценка и текстовые отзывы помогают делать осознанный выбор и формируют доверие к специалистам сообщества. — Чаты с поддержкой медиа: Личные сообщения, отправка фото и файлов, push-уведомления. Превью вложений отображается прямо в списке диалогов. — Интерактивная карта: Все бизнесы на одной карте с фильтрами по категориям — найдите ближайший салон, врача, ресторан или мастера. — Лента сообщества: Новости, события, акции, личные истории. Лайки, комментарии и сториз — всё, чтобы быть в гуще жизни русскоязычного сообщества. — Избранное: Сохраняйте интересные профили и бизнесы в отдельный список, чтобы вернуться к ним позже. — Платное продвижение: Поднимите свой профиль, бизнес или пост в карусели «Главного» — Глобальная география: Каталог поддерживает любые города мира через Google Places — удобно для тех, кто живёт в Корее, переезжает, путешествует или ведёт дела между странами. Регистрация по номеру телефона. Гостевой режим позволяет осмотреться без авторизации. Сегодня Ethnogram активно развивается среди русскоязычного сообщества Южной Кореи и постепенно охватывает другие страны. Присоединяйтесь — где бы вы ни были, ваше русскоязычное окружение теперь рядом, в одном приложении.

Screenshots

thePAY Mobile Recharge4 screens
ethnogram4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: thePAY Mobile Recharge at 65% against ethnogram's 0%. thePAY Mobile Recharge also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). ethnogram's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ethnogram sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. thePAY Mobile Recharge asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

thePAY Mobile Recharge ships an update monthly, ethnogram every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
thePAY Mobile Recharge versus ethnogram: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterthePAY Mobile Rechargeethnogram
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (499 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews65.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings499 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB56 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTELECENTRO Co., LtdSergey Li

Customer experience

thePAY Mobile Recharge

All ratings497 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews137 reviews
Positive65.0%
Neutral5.1%
Negative29.9%

ethnogram

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

thePAY Mobile Recharge

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Unable to top up money to Russia
  • Unable to top up phones to Russia
  • App can only be used with Korean mobile numbers
  • Terms and conditions are only in Korean
  • Bug when calling US numbers (00796 82 1xxx yyy zzzz)

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add Gate card option
  • Fix bug with US calls (00796 82 1xxx yyy zzzz)

ethnogram

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

thePAY Mobile Recharge

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

ethnogram

One-time3
  • Продвижение на 3 дня$2.99
  • Продвижение на 7 дней$5.99
  • Продвижение на 14 дней$9.99

Questions

Is thePAY Mobile Recharge free?
thePAY Mobile Recharge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ethnogram free?
ethnogram is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do thePAY Mobile Recharge or ethnogram have ads?
thePAY Mobile Recharge shows ads; ethnogram does not.
Which is updated more often, thePAY Mobile Recharge or ethnogram?
thePAY Mobile Recharge ships an update monthly, and ethnogram every 3 days. Most recently, thePAY Mobile Recharge was updated on October 31, 2026 and ethnogram on October 24, 2026.

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