Comparison

Bark vs ChatX

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

Head to head
About

Bark

Send custom push notifications to your iPhone via an HTTP API. Supports advanced features like custom icons, grouping, and critical alerts. Offers privacy-protected, end-to-end encrypted pushes with self-deployable server options.

Highlights
  • HTTP API for push notifications
  • Custom icons and grouping
  • Continuous and critical alerts
  • End-to-end push encryption
  • Self-deployable server options
  • Privacy-protected notifications
Features
Read full description

You can send push notifications to your iPhone by simply calling an HTTP API. Bark supports many advanced iOS push features, such as custom icons, notification grouping, custom ringtones, continuous alerts, critical alerts, and encrypted pushes. Bark does not consume device battery, as its core functionality relies on system push services and push extensions, and the app itself does not need to be running. Bark ensures your privacy and security with high reliability. Bark supports self-deploying the server, which can be deployed via Docker, Serverless, or Cloudflare Worker. The bark-server supports most operating systems, and you can also run it manually. The app is compiled and uploaded through Github Action, ensuring that the version you’re using is compiled from open-source code, without any modifications by anyone (including the author). Bark supports end-to-end push encryption with a custom key, ensuring that the push content is not accessed or leaked by the Bark server or Apple’s APNs server during transmission. The notification message history saved locally by Bark is also very secure. Using the NotificationServiceExtension, the push message is only stored on the device when the push is received. Feedback email: to@day.app Privacy Policy: https://api.day.app/privacy User Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ChatX

This AI chat client leverages advanced language models to help you generate content and boost efficiency. It offers features like prompt collections, quick phrases, and image generation, all accessible through high-speed API servers. Manage your conversations and settings across multiple devices with ease.

Highlights
  • Multiple advanced AI models
  • High-speed API servers
  • Prompt collections
  • Image generation
  • iCloud multi-device sync
  • Quick phrases and shortcuts
Features
Read full description

ChatX is a powerful AI chat client powered by the most advanced 4o、5、5mini、o3、DeepSeek V3/R1、Claude model. With our high-speed API servers, you can use AI to generate any content anytime, anywhere, to boost your work and life efficiency. 【Key Features】 - Words Mode: Spend only for what you use, never waste a word - Prompt Collections: Easily start every conversation, advanced prompts available - Quick-switch New Conversations: Flexibly control context lines - Quick Phrases: Boost your dialogues with a single click to send - High-speed API servers: Experience ultimate speed, boundless access, and customization support - API Key Mode: Check your monthly usage - Token Calculator: Real-time financial calculations, know your consumption details - Image Generation: Official Beta interface for creating images with text - Shortcuts: URL Scheme & Siri 【Chat Experience Enhanced】 - AI Parameters: Model, creative temperature, dialogue memory, conversation length - TTS Auto Speech: Auto language detection, speed of reading settings - Chat Control: Pause and resume generation - Chat Management: Icon settings, pinning, order adjustment - Message Enhancement: Select text, resend, rewrite, share - Casual Chatting: Start a conversation anytime, anywhere - Others: Haptic feedback, chat font size - Compression history summary - Quickly open chat from the Control Center 【Advanced Features】 - Support newest Gemini model - iCloud Multi-device Auto Sync: Sync your chat lists and settings - macOS & iPad Keyboard Support: Use shortcut keys to send messages - Lock Screen Widgets: Quick lock screen launch - URL Schemes: Call shortcut commands - Non-Stream Responses API Encourage us with five stars, More powerful features will be developed. Also, feedback are welcome to tell us on Twitter:@AppChatX / The6XStudio@gmail.com

Screenshots

Bark3 screens
ChatX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bark at 4.9 against ChatX's 4.6. Bark also leads on review sentiment (98% vs 88%). ChatX's advantage is ratings volume (481 vs 109). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bark sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.69 per year and ChatX sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bark holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 109 and 481 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of Bark's written reviews are positive against 88% of ChatX's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, ChatX fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bark versus ChatX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarkChatX
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (109 ratings) — better4.6 (481 ratings)
Positive reviews98.4% of reviews — better88.4% of reviews
Number of ratings109481 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer丰 黄6X Studio LLC

Customer experience

Bark

All ratings109 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive98.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative0.0%

ChatX

All ratings481 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral1.5%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews251 reviews
Positive88.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative9.2%

Bugs and requests

Bark

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

ChatX

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent iCloud sync for chat settings
  • Occasional crashes
  • Compatibility issues with older devices
  • Login screen freezes

Requested features

7 requests
  • Safari extension
  • Keyboard extension
  • Support for Azure OpenAI API
  • Markdown support
  • Local model import and loading
Show 2 more
  • More AI models (e.g., DALL-E, Claude)
  • Customization options for UI size and color

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bark

Subscriptions1
  • Continuous support$2.691 Year
One-time1
  • One-time donation$2.69
6 purchases

ChatX

One-time6
  • Pro (Lifetime)Free
  • Add Words Pack 1$0.99
  • Add Words Pack 2$3.99
Show 3 more
  • Pro$4.99
  • Add Words Pack 3$7.99
  • Add Words Pack 4$17.99

Questions

Is Bark free?
Bark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ChatX free?
ChatX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bark or ChatX?
Bark is rated higher. Bark averages 4.9 out of 5 from 109 ratings, while ChatX averages 4.6 from 481 ratings.
Do Bark or ChatX have ads?
Neither Bark nor ChatX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bark or ChatX?
Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, and ChatX fortnightly. Most recently, Bark was updated on September 26, 2026 and ChatX on September 26, 2026.

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