# Steam Chat vs BARQ!

The clearest difference is rating: BARQ! at 2.9 against Steam Chat's 1.8. BARQ! also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 14%). Steam Chat's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and chart position (#90 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BARQ! sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Steam Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.

BARQ! holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 319 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of Steam Chat's written reviews are positive against 33% of BARQ!'s.

Steam Chat ships an update every 5 weeks, BARQ! every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Steam Chat | BARQ! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steam-chat/id1434890245/reviews) | **[2.9 (319 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barq/id1526984545/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 319 |
| Positive reviews | 13.7% of reviews | **32.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | — |
| Size | 36 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.8 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Valve](https://appshunter.io/developer/495369751) | [BARQ!](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816416771) |

## What reviewers say

### Steam Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steam-chat/id1434890245)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Stay connected with your Steam friends and communities on the go. This app brings desktop chat features to your mobile device, including a friends list, rich media sharing, and customizable notifications. Organize game nights and connect with friends easily.

**Highlights:** Friends List, Rich Chat with media, Invite Links, Customizable Notifications, Group Chats

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient mobile chat
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 🔒 Secure login process
- 💡 Ability to use Steam emotes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Disappearing message history
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Lack of voice/video chat

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to log in with valid credentials
- Messages failing to send or receive
- Inconsistent friend status updates

**Requested features**

- Add voice and video chat
- Integrate with main Steam app
- Optimize for tablet devices
- Improve notification reliability


### BARQ!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barq/id1526984545)

Connect with the furry community through a next-generation social app. Discover local furries, join interest-based groups, and find information about meetups, events, and conventions. The platform is continuously evolving with new features and an expanding user base.

**Highlights:** Connect with local furries, Join communities, Discover meetups and events, Attend conventions, Growing feature set

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Silver Supporter | $4.99 | per month |
| Gold Supporter | $9.99 | per month |
| Diamond Supporter | $24.99 | per month |
| Silver Supporter | $54.99 | per year |
| Gold Supporter | $109.99 | per year |
| Diamond Supporter | $274.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤝 Found local furry friends
- 💕 Met partner through the app
- 👍 Good app design
- 🔍 Able to find nearby furries
- 🎨 Customizable profile

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, crashes often
- 🔇 Notification issues
- 🚫 Accounts getting deleted/banned
- 🔒 Unsafe login methods
- 🚫 Allows problematic content/users

**Reported bugs**

- Login/sign-up issues
- Profiles not loading
- Inability to change settings
- Disappearing accounts
- Broken image uploads

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to delete chats
- Custom sexuality options
- Improved moderation and safety features
- Better notification system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Steam Chat free?

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

### Is BARQ! free?

BARQ! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Steam Chat or BARQ!?

BARQ! is rated higher. Steam Chat averages 1.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while BARQ! averages 2.9 from 319 ratings.

### Do Steam Chat or BARQ! have ads?

Neither Steam Chat nor BARQ! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Steam Chat or BARQ!?

Steam Chat ships an update every 5 weeks, and BARQ! every 4 weeks. Most recently, Steam Chat was updated on October 25, 2026 and BARQ! on October 25, 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.*