Comparison

Purple Visits vs Lyca Mobile UK

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

Head to head
About

Purple Visits

Connect with loved ones through secure, high-definition video calls. This platform makes family contact easier and more cost-effective than in-person visits, allowing multiple participants to join from various locations.

Highlights
  • Secure video calls
  • High-definition video
  • Up to 3 additional participants
  • Visit from home or work
  • Cost-effective alternative to travel
  • Show loved ones around your home
Features
Read full description

The Purple Visits secure video calling system keeps you and your loved one connected with a fully secure and compliant platform used within secure establishments. Feel closer than a phone call when you’re unable to visit with a fully immersive HD* video calling experience that has been designed to make family contact easier and more cost affective than visiting in person. • Video calls, don’t settle for just hearing them, see them too with a purple visits video call, the whole family can get involved with up to 3 additional participants being verified to accompany you on your video call. • Visit from home, The Purple Visits video calling system allows you to have a video calling option when visiting in person would simply be impossible. • Call from work, the purple visits video calling system doesn’t limit you to one location, you can use the system to video call from anywhere with a reliable broadband or 4G** connection. • Call from the grandma’s, Add Grandma as an additional participant and take your video call round there, if grandma has been verified (easily done through the app) then feel free to let her join in on call too! • Cost affective, our users are saving hundreds of pounds in travel and childcare costs every time by video calling instead. • Show them around, the purple visits platform has been designed for you to show your loved one around the home, go ahead and flip the camera and show them the family pet or your latest decorating masterpiece. Visitor feedback: “We have been using the purple visits system for three months now and are extremely grateful that it is available for our son” “Before purple visits were introduced, I was unable to visit my son in Jersey, now we have visited virtually every week and its really lifted his spirits” “Being able to video call during my lunch break has made things so much better. We video chat every Wednesday and Friday!” *HD calling is limited by your device and your connectivity, in order to achieve HD quality video calls you must be connected to a good quality and reliable WIFI signal and have a HD quality camera within your device. **Data charges may apply if connecting via mobile internet. Contact your provider for details We're always excited to hear from you! If you have feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at: help@purplevisits.com or follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/purplevisits @purplevisits

About

Lyca Mobile UK

Manage your Lyca Mobile account conveniently on the go. Check your balance, purchase bundles or credit, view usage history, and make secure payments. The app offers quick top-ups and special offers for existing UK customers.

Highlights
  • Account management on-the-go
  • Check balance and usage
  • Purchase bundles and credit
  • View transaction history
  • Secure payments
  • Buy for friends and family
  • Special offers and discounts
Features
Read full description

Download the free Lyca Mobile app today and take control of your account on-the-go. Check your balance, purchase bundles or credit, view your usage and history all from one secure and easy-to-use app. The newly launched Lyca Mobile app is the safest and most convenient way to manage your account. You can purchase plans, top-up your balance whenever you wish, check the latest international calling rates, view your transaction history, and make secure payments within the app. Features include: • Quick bundle purchase and top-up • Hassle-free and secure payment • Detailed history of calls, activated bundles, data usage and more • Special bonuses, offers, and discounts • Easy registration and navigation • Buy bundles or top-up for friends and family Things to remember: • You must be an existing Lyca Mobile customer in the UK to use the app. • The Lyca Mobile app is free, but any data used to access features will be taken from your monthly allowance or credit. • If you use the app abroad, you'll be charged standard international data charges, but the app is still free. So, don't waste a minute. Get started and download the new Lyca Mobile app today!

Screenshots

Purple Visits4 screens
Lyca Mobile UK4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Purple Visits at 92% against Lyca Mobile UK's 3%. Purple Visits also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.5) and ratings volume (57 vs 14). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Purple Visits holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 57 and 14 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Purple Visits's written reviews are positive against 3% of Lyca Mobile UK's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Purple Visits versus Lyca Mobile UK: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPurple VisitsLyca Mobile UK
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (57 ratings) — better1.5 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews92.2% of reviews — better2.9% of reviews
Number of ratings57 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size102 MB51 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMade PurpleLyca Digital Private Limited

Customer experience

Purple Visits

All ratings57 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive92.2%
Neutral3.9%
Negative3.9%

Lyca Mobile UK

All ratings14 ratings
Positive14.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative85.7%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive2.9%
Neutral2.9%
Negative94.3%

Bugs and requests

Purple Visits

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Camera twists on iPhone
  • Video stops/switches off with slight movement
  • Face recognition issues causing call interruptions
  • System locks out after covering face
  • Bold text on iPhone causes connection issues
Show 7 more
  • System picks up background images/objects
  • Bugged when connected to a monitor
  • Cannot change address
  • Call gets rejected even when slots are visible
  • Video cuts out frequently
  • Pixelated and buffering issues
  • Login issues after phone breaks

Requested features

10 requests
  • Ask about prison first during registration
  • Increase call duration to 1 hour
  • Option to pay for prisoner food/drink during visit
  • Countdown timer for visit duration
  • Improve camera stability and recognition
Show 5 more
  • Allow easier device switching
  • Remove fully booked time slots from visibility
  • Ensure prisoners are brought on time for calls
  • Provide a 'test shot' feature for camera setup
  • Allow longer video calls for overseas connections

Lyca Mobile UK

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Purple Visits

No in-app purchases

None

Lyca Mobile UK

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Purple Visits free?
Purple Visits is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lyca Mobile UK free?
Lyca Mobile UK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Purple Visits or Lyca Mobile UK?
Purple Visits is rated higher. Purple Visits averages 4.9 out of 5 from 57 ratings, while Lyca Mobile UK averages 1.5 from 14 ratings.
Do Purple Visits or Lyca Mobile UK have ads?
Neither Purple Visits nor Lyca Mobile UK shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Purple Visits or Lyca Mobile UK?
Purple Visits ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lyca Mobile UK every 3 weeks. Most recently, Purple Visits was updated on September 22, 2026 and Lyca Mobile UK on September 22, 2026.

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