Comparison

Bottled vs passNote

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

Head to head
About

Bottled

Connect with people globally through a unique messaging system. Send a digital message in a bottle and let chance bring you new friends and meaningful conversations. Chat at your own pace and discover genuine connections.

Highlights
  • Send messages in a bottle globally
  • Match with users through random exchanges
  • Chat at your own pace
  • Send text, photo, and voice messages
  • Follow bottle journeys
  • Play Spin the Bottle game
Features
Read full description

Make friends worldwide, chat with real people, and discover meaningful pen pal connections. Bottled is a modern twist on the classic message in a bottle. Write a message, send it out to sea, and let serendipity connect you with someone, somewhere in the world. Whether you’re looking for new friends, a pen pal, emotional support, or just a meaningful conversation, Bottled helps you meet real people through chance, curiosity, and conversation. HOW BOTTLED WORKS Write a message and put it in a bottle Throw it into the sea and let it drift to a random person anywhere in the world If they keep your bottle, you match and can start chatting If they release it, your bottle sails away to someone else Every bottle can lead to a unique connection WHY PEOPLE LOVE BOTTLED Make friends and meet pen pals from around the world Chat at your own pace, without pressure Send text, photo, and voice messages Follow your bottles’ journeys in real time Play Spin the Bottle with fun questions and challenges Discover supportive, meaningful conversations with new people Join over 5 million users in a positive social app designed to help you meet new people and have genuine conversations. Chat without expectations. Talk freely. Let chance create real connections. If you have any questions or just want to say hi, feel free to contact us on Instagram (@appbottled) or by email at contact@bottledapp.com Bottled is free to download and use, and all main features are available for free. If you’d like to meet even more people, faster, you can subscribe and become a Cruise Member. We offer weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly subscription options. Terms of Use: https://bottledapp.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://bottledapp.com/privacy

About

passNote

Features
Read full description

Exchange diaries are a traditional form of communication in Japan, where people share their daily experiences and thoughts through a notebook. Even today, they remain popular among young people, offering a slower and more meaningful alternative to social media and instant messaging. With this app, you can easily experience the charm of exchange diaries on your smartphone. Share your daily life, hobbies, and thoughts while getting to know someone little by little. Unlike short messages, exchange diaries help build deeper connections. By taking time to write and respond, you can learn about each other's values and perspectives and develop lasting relationships. You can also connect with people from around the world. Discover real daily life, culture, school, work, and traditions that cannot be fully understood through travel or social media alone. Exchange diaries are also a great way to learn languages. Built-in translation helps you communicate with confidence while naturally learning real expressions used by native speakers. Why not start a special exchange diary with someone, somewhere in the world?

Screenshots

Bottled4 screens
passNote3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: passNote at every 5 days against Bottled's every 3 weeks. Bottled's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bottled sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and passNote sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bottled ships an update every 3 weeks, passNote every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Bottled versus passNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBottledpassNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.9K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.9K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size114 MB80 MB
Age rating9+17+
DeveloperPierre DelannoyRyota Izumi

Bugs and requests

Bottled

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent notification system
  • Bottles not disappearing after being blocked
  • Crashes and freezes on certain device models
  • Inability to log in or access account after device changes

Requested features

6 requests
  • Improved moderation and user verification system
  • Option to filter bottles by country or language
  • Ability to create and join interest-based groups
  • Integration of voice/video messaging features
  • Offline mode or message drafting capabilities
Show 1 more
  • More customization options for user profiles and islands

passNote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Bottled

Subscriptions3
  • Explorer Membership$2.991 Month
  • Cruise Membership - weekly$5.997 Days
  • Cruise Membership$9.991 Month
One-time7
  • 5 Gold coins$0.99
  • 20 Gold coins$3.49
  • 40 gold coins$4.99
Show 4 more
  • 50 Gold coins$6.99
  • 100 gold coins$9.99
  • 100 Gold coins$14.49
  • 220 gold coins$19.99
1 purchases

passNote

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Membership$2.991 Month

Questions

Is Bottled free?
Bottled is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is passNote free?
passNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Bottled or passNote have ads?
Neither Bottled nor passNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bottled or passNote?
Bottled ships an update every 3 weeks, and passNote every 5 days. Most recently, Bottled was updated on November 2, 2026 and passNote on October 28, 2026.

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