Prison Video vs Puffing Billy 2023
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Prison Video
Connect with incarcerated loved ones through secure video calls. This service allows approved social contacts to participate in virtual visits, bridging the distance and fostering connections.
- Secure video calls
- Connect with loved ones in prison
- Approved social contacts
- Prison staff approval required
- Available at participating prisons
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From the same team as the award-winning Prison Voicemail service, Prison Video enables approved social contacts to take part in video calls with loved ones in prison. To use the service, it must be available at your contact's prison and you must be approved for video calls by the prison staff.
Puffing Billy 2023
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Choose a route and follow along as Santa and his elves ride on Puffing Billy, stopping to meet the children and spread a little Christmas cheer.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Puffing Billy 2023 at 13.0 against Prison Video's 15.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
Prison Video ships an update every 3 weeks, Puffing Billy 2023 every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Prison Video | Puffing Billy 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (76 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 47.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 76 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 4 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 44 MB | 546 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PHONEHUB IO LTD | Weblication Ltd |
Bugs and requests
Prison Video
Reported bugs
17 issues- App crashes or exits immediately after opening
- Call connection issues
- No sound or video during calls
- Calls cut off unexpectedly
- App not working after updates
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- Error messages when trying to accept calls
- No option to join scheduled calls
- App not allowing submission of comments
- Prison selection dropdown not working
- Verification of children not processing
- Calls cancelled with little notice
- Dropped connections due to monitoring station restarts
- Cannot join calls as easily as previous services
- Lost minutes at the beginning of calls
- Accidental screenshots causing call cancellations
- No notification for scheduled calls
- App not loading or crashing on launch
Requested features
9 requests- Allow screenshots during calls
- Allow showing the sun or sky during calls
- Allow bringing other people into the call
- Improve customer service responsiveness
- Make the app available in more regions
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- Revert to Purple Visits service
- Allow longer call durations
- Allow smoking during calls
- More flexible booking times for those who work weekdays
Puffing Billy 2023
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Prison Video
No in-app purchases
Puffing Billy 2023
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Prison Video free?
Is Puffing Billy 2023 free?
Do Prison Video or Puffing Billy 2023 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Prison Video or Puffing Billy 2023?
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