# Text nearBy vs Vicinity

The clearest difference is rating: Vicinity at 4.6 against Text nearBy's 3.7. Vicinity also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (37 vs 9). Text nearBy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Vicinity sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per year. Text nearBy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Vicinity holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 37 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Text nearBy's written reviews are positive against 91% of Vicinity's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Text nearBy ships an update every 2 months, Vicinity every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Text nearBy | Vicinity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-nearby/id1088624178/reviews) | **[4.6 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicinity-proximity-chat/id1536080128/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **37** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 90.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Paul Hangas](https://appshunter.io/developer/433121902) | [Esketit LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536080130) |

## What reviewers say

### Text nearBy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-nearby/id1088624178)

Communicate with people nearby using Bluetooth, no internet connection required. Ideal for group chats at home, school, or while traveling. Messages are private and automatically deleted after viewing.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth-only communication, No internet or WiFi needed, Private, direct messaging, Automatic message deletion, No account or phone number required, Notifications for new messages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Vicinity

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicinity-proximity-chat/id1536080128)

Connect with people in your immediate vicinity through real-time chat and live multiplayer games. Discover local communities and engage in topic-based conversations, all tied to your physical location.

**Highlights:** Real-time proximity chat, Live multiplayer games, Location-based landmark rooms, Private messaging, Interest-based profiles, Apple Watch integration, In-app economy for extras

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription Features | $10.99 | per year |
| 60 Star Tokens | $0.99 | one-time |
| Create Advertisement | $1.99 | one-time |
| 180 Star Tokens | $2.99 | one-time |
| 600 Star Tokens | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Text nearBy free?

Text nearBy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Vicinity free?

Vicinity is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Text nearBy or Vicinity?

Vicinity is rated higher. Text nearBy averages 3.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Vicinity averages 4.6 from 37 ratings.

### Do Text nearBy or Vicinity have ads?

Vicinity shows ads; Text nearBy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Text nearBy or Vicinity?

Text nearBy ships an update every 2 months, and Vicinity every 4 days. Most recently, Text nearBy was updated on October 24, 2026 and Vicinity on October 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*