Scouting vs Gabb Messenger
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scouting
This app helps parents and Scouts track their journey from Lion to Eagle Scout. It focuses on individual progress and requires a my.scouting.org login for parents or youth accounts.
- Track progress from Lion to Eagle Scout
- Parent and youth account support
- Individual experience tracking
- Requires my.scouting.org login
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For parents and Scouts to track the Scouting Experience from Lion to Eagle Scout This app is for parents and scouts only, it is not for adult leaders to track scouts. A http://my.scouting.org/ log in is required and your account must either be connected to a Scout as a parent or be a youth account.
Gabb Messenger
This app enables safe video calls between friends and family and Gabb kids, with smart filtration to monitor for potential harm. Parents can access robust controls to manage their child's messaging, including flagged content, contact lists, and deletion settings, ensuring peace of mind.
- Safe video calling with smart filtration
- Parental controls for messaging
- Flagged content monitoring
- Contact management
- Message deletion settings
- Manage multiple devices
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Gabb Messenger™ Friends and family can safely video call with Gabb kids directly through the app. Safe Video Calling uses smart filtration to monitor video calls for potential harm, keeping kids safe & parents at peace. Gabb Messenger Parental Controls Gabb Parents can also use Gabb Messenger to access important parental controls to monitor & manage their child's messaging experience. As a Gabb Parent, you'll have access to the following controls: -Flagged Content: view all flagged images, video calls, texts, and links -Safe Video Calling: ability to disable/enable at any time -Deleting Settings: manage whether your child can delete messages on their device -Contact Management: manage an Approved Contact List and restrict who your child can message & video call Gabb Messenger Parental Controls are easy to use and perfect for managing multiple devices. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your child is protected while they stay connected to friends and family. Download Gabb Messenger and get started. You can learn more about Gabb Messenger at gabb.com/gabb-messenger/ More about Gabb Gabb provides safe tech made specifically to protect kids, connect families, and empower parents. Gabb devices—Gabb Watch 2, Gabb Watch 3, Gabb Phone, Gabb Phone Plus, Gabb Phone 3 Pro—were all created with kids’ safety as the top priority and provide safe “tech in steps” options for kids 5-18. All Gabb devices come with unlimited talk and text but no social media, internet, or unsafe apps. Parents can stay safely connected with their kids through GPS tracking, safe messaging, geofenced safe zones with alerts when a child’s device enters or leaves specified locations, and more. Gabb’s growing list of safe apps, like Gabb Music and Gabb Messenger, give kids more ways to learn the benefits of technology without all the dangers. Learn more at gabb.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Gabb Messenger at 3.7 against Scouting's 2.0. Scouting's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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.
Gabb Messenger holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 930 and 918 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Scouting's written reviews are positive against 19% of Gabb Messenger's.
Scouting ships an update fortnightly, Gabb Messenger every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.
| Parameter | Scouting | Gabb Messenger |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (930 ratings) | 3.7 (918 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 12.2% of reviews | 18.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 930 — better | 918 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 114 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Boy Scouts of America | Gabb Wireless, Inc. |
Customer experience
Scouting
Gabb Messenger
User reviews
Scouting
From 930 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Helpful for tracking progress
- 🚀 Solid app when it works
- 🌟 Good for monitoring scout's progress
Room to improve
- 🐛 Glitchy and unreliable
- 🔁 Endless update loop
- 🤯 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Login and account issues
- 📆 Calendar and event tracking problems
Gabb Messenger
From 918 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Helps catch inappropriate messages
- 🔒 Allows parent control of contacts
- 👍 Provides peace of mind for parents
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable syncing and notifications
- 🐛 Inability to view flagged messages
- 🔒 Overly restrictive features
Bugs and requests
Scouting
Reported bugs
5 issues- Incorrect rank and requirement completion tracking
- Unable to submit advancement requirements
- Inability to remove guardians
- Outdated merit badge listings
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices
Requested features
5 requests- PDF version of scout handbook
- Integration with device calendar
- Ability to add photos and comments
- Better notifications and alerts
- Improved tracking for merit badges and advancements
Gabb Messenger
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashing on launch
- Syncing issues between phone and app
- Unreliable notifications of flagged messages
Requested features
4 requests- Improved app stability and reliability
- Better visibility into flagged messages
- More flexible parental control options
- Ability to monitor calls and location
In-app purchases
Scouting
No in-app purchases
Gabb Messenger
No in-app purchases
