# ICS Mobile vs Pay Tel

The clearest difference is rating: Pay Tel at 1.7 against ICS Mobile's 1.4. ICS Mobile's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 140). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Pay Tel holds the better App Store score, 1.7 against 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ICS Mobile has 1.2K ratings behind it against 140, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 4% of ICS Mobile's written reviews are positive against 6% of Pay Tel's.

ICS Mobile ships an update every 3 weeks, Pay Tel every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ICS Mobile | Pay Tel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.4 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ics-mobile/id1475972982/reviews) | **[1.7 (140 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pay-tel/id1593243820/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 140 |
| Positive reviews | 3.6% of reviews | **6.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#170** | #207 |
| Size | 42 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Inmate Calling Solutions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475972981) | [Pay Tel Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/1593243822) |

## What reviewers say

### ICS Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ics-mobile/id1475972982)

**Currently charting:** #170 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect with incarcerated loved ones through video visits from any location with internet access. Maintain strong family bonds by sharing special moments remotely.

**Highlights:** Remote video visits, Visit from home, Maintain family bonds, Share special moments, WiFi/cellular data compatible

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works well
- 🔒 Turn off dark mode
- 🔒 Turn on do not disturb

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes
- 🐛 Freezes during visits
- 🐛 Disconnects during visits
- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Poor audio/video quality

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work on iPhones/iPads
- Connection issues despite good internet
- Visits get cancelled unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Update the app
- Improve customer service
- Provide refunds for failed visits


### Pay Tel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pay-tel/id1593243820)

**Currently charting:** #207 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Stay connected with loved ones. Receive instant alerts for messages and notifications. Easily view your balance and add funds, or send photos to inmates in eligible correctional facilities.

**Highlights:** Instant message alerts, Unread message count, Current balance visibility, Add funds link, Send photos to inmates

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Enables communication with incarcerated loved ones
- 📹 Video calling functionality available
- 💬 Messaging feature when working properly
- ✅ App works smoothly after recent updates (per some users)
- 🎯 Easy to add funds/make payments

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- ❌ Messages fail to send or display
- 🔌 Constant login errors and authentication failures
- ⏱️ Extremely slow loading times
- 🔄 App randomly logs users out mid-session

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- Login authentication errors persist across sessions
- Messages fail to send despite payment being deducted
- Messages don't appear in inbox despite being sent
- App logs out randomly while actively in use

**Requested features**

- Improved app stability and performance optimization
- Better customer service responsiveness (live chat, phone support)
- Reduced pricing for calls and messages
- Same-day video visit scheduling
- Better message persistence (don't delete on app exit)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ICS Mobile free?

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

### Is Pay Tel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ICS Mobile or Pay Tel?

Pay Tel is rated higher. ICS Mobile averages 1.4 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Pay Tel averages 1.7 from 140 ratings.

### Do ICS Mobile or Pay Tel have ads?

Neither ICS Mobile nor Pay Tel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ICS Mobile or Pay Tel?

ICS Mobile ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pay Tel every 2 months. Most recently, ICS Mobile was updated on October 19, 2026 and Pay Tel on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, ICS Mobile or Pay Tel?

ICS Mobile currently peaks at #170 in the App Store charts, and Pay Tel at #207. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*