# Prison Video vs eMates

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Prison Video at 48% against eMates's 4%. Prison Video also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (73 vs 1). eMates's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Prison Video holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Prison Video has 73 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Prison Video's written reviews are positive against 4% of eMates's.

Prison Video ships an update every 3 weeks, eMates fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Prison Video | eMates |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prison-video/id1359083734/reviews)** | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emates/id1573352170/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **73** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **47.7% of reviews** | 4.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 43 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PHONEHUB IO LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1174278039) | [Unilink Technology Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1253866276) |

## What reviewers say

### Prison Video

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prison-video/id1359083734)

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.

**Highlights:** Secure video calls, Connect with loved ones in prison, Approved social contacts, Prison staff approval required, Available at participating prisons

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great platform for connection
- 👍 Excellent for keeping in touch
- 👍 Good quality video calls
- 👍 Clear and uninterrupted calls
- 👍 Allows seeing loved ones' faces

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Calls frequently don't connect
- 🐛 App is buggy and cuts out
- 🐛 Calls are often cancelled or end early
- 🐛 Poor signal quality at prisons
- 🐛 Timing issues with booked calls

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### eMates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emates/id1573352170)

Facilitates easy and frequent communication between prisoners and their loved ones. Aims to reduce self-harm by fostering connections and aids in prisoner rehabilitation for release.

**Highlights:** Easy prisoner communication, Secure messaging, Reduced self-harm, Release preparation assistance, Frequent and varied communication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Essential service for communication
- 👍 Better than nothing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Messages not sending or receiving
- 🐛 Login issues and account problems
- 🐛 Payment issues and money lost
- 🐛 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Messages fail to send or are lost
- Messages fail to receive
- Login screen freezes or doesn't respond
- Cannot log in even with correct credentials

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Fix message sending and receiving issues
- Resolve login and account access problems
- Address payment and credit issues
- Enhance customer support responsiveness


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Prison Video free?

Prison Video is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is eMates free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Prison Video or eMates?

Prison Video is rated higher. Prison Video averages 4.8 out of 5 from 73 ratings, while eMates averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Prison Video or eMates have ads?

Neither Prison Video nor eMates shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Prison Video or eMates?

Prison Video ships an update every 3 weeks, and eMates fortnightly. Most recently, Prison Video was updated on September 23, 2026 and eMates on September 24, 2026.

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