# Planetary Social vs Flyby Messaging

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Flyby Messaging at 100% against Planetary Social's 38%. Flyby Messaging also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1). Planetary Social's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (37 vs 6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Flyby Messaging holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planetary Social has 37 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Planetary Social's written reviews are positive against 100% of Flyby Messaging's.

Planetary Social ships an update every 9 days, Flyby Messaging every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planetary Social | Flyby Messaging |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-social/id1481617318/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flyby-messaging/id1551851989/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **37** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 53 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Verse Communications Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454907197) | [Jonah Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551851991) |

## What reviewers say

### Planetary Social

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-social/id1481617318)

A peer-to-peer social media platform focused on personal connections and censorship resistance. It prioritizes user ownership of content and relationships, operating without algorithms or advertisements. Compatible with other Secure Scuttlebutt protocol apps, it works both online and offline.

**Highlights:** Peer-to-peer data sharing, Censorship resistant network, User ownership of content, No advertisements or algorithms, Offline and off-grid functionality, Open source, Compatible with Secure Scuttlebutt apps

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Flyby Messaging

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flyby-messaging/id1551851989)

This app offers private conversations without tracking or data collection. Connect with others anonymously by scanning QR codes and easily sever connections permanently when no longer needed. Ideal for group projects, dating, and professional networking.

**Highlights:** Anonymous login, QR code connections, Customizable display names, Permanent connection severing, Privacy-focused design, No user tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planetary Social free?

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

### Is Flyby Messaging free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Planetary Social or Flyby Messaging?

Flyby Messaging is rated higher. Planetary Social averages 4.1 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while Flyby Messaging averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Planetary Social or Flyby Messaging have ads?

Neither Planetary Social nor Flyby Messaging shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planetary Social or Flyby Messaging?

Planetary Social ships an update every 9 days, and Flyby Messaging every 3 weeks. Most recently, Planetary Social was updated on October 26, 2026 and Flyby Messaging on October 21, 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.*