Comparison

Lowkey vs HeyThere

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

Head to head
About

Lowkey

This secure group chat platform prioritizes user privacy with end-to-end encryption and message history deletion. It offers tools for organizing conversations, like pinning and announcements, alongside fun features such as custom GIFs and audio messages.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Permanent message history deletion
  • Screen capturing block
  • Pinning messages
  • Announcements and events
  • Self-made GIFs
  • Audio messages
Features
Read full description

What happens in the group chat stays in the group chat. Lowkey gives your circle a truly off-the-record space to chat, plan events, and hang out without digital footprints, screenshot leaks, or invasive tracking. UNCOMPROMISED PRIVACY • Anti-Screenshot Shield: Screen capturing and screen recording are automatically blocked in private chats. • End-to-End Encryption: E2EE ensures nobody—not even us—can read your messages, photos, or audio notes. • Disappearing History: Set custom timer auto-deletion so your message history wipes clean automatically. BUILT FOR YOUR INNER CIRCLE • Group Events & RSVPs: Schedule hangouts, house parties, or study sessions with live attendee tracking. • Polls & Announcements: Make group decisions fast and pin crucial updates to the top of the chat. • Encrypted Voice & Media Sharing: Share high-quality photos, videos, and voice notes instantly without sacrificing conversation quality or privacy. OUR PRIVACY PROMISE No ad tracking. No selling your personal data. No hidden logs. Just real conversations with the people you trust. Questions or feedback? Reach out to us at dev@lowkeychat.com!

About

HeyThere

Connect with people locally through group chats based on your favorite places. Plan events, share updates, or discover what's happening around you. Safety features like blocking and reporting are included.

Highlights
  • Location-based group chats
  • Event planning
  • Local discovery
  • User blocking and reporting
  • Business notifications
Read full description

Connect with people through your favorite places! With HeyThere, you can add a group chat... • ...at your favorite hangout for easily planning a night out • ...at your gym for setting up group games and events • ...at your business to notify customers of deals and specials Any group you make is only joinable where you made it. Once you're in the group, you can stay in wherever you go. Use it as a social app to see what's happening around you, or write a review in a group chat at your favorite restaurant. HeyThere provides you with relevant content about whats happening around you. Safety Safety is our highest priority, so we've made sure to include features like blocking, muting, and reporting users. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Lowkey4 screens
HeyThere4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HeyThere at 4.5 against Lowkey's 4.0. HeyThere also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). Lowkey's advantage is ratings volume (84 vs 8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

HeyThere holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lowkey has 84 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lowkey ships an update every 6 weeks, HeyThere every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Lowkey versus HeyThere: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLowkeyHeyThere
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (84 ratings)4.5 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings84 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.411.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB63 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperKey Revolution Inc.Hall Avenue Ventures, LLC

Customer experience

Lowkey

All ratings84 ratings
Positive73.8%
Neutral2.4%
Negative23.8%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive70.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative20.8%

HeyThere

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

None

Lowkey

No in-app purchases

None

HeyThere

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lowkey free?
Lowkey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HeyThere free?
HeyThere is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lowkey or HeyThere?
HeyThere is rated higher. Lowkey averages 4.0 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while HeyThere averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Lowkey or HeyThere have ads?
Neither Lowkey nor HeyThere shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lowkey or HeyThere?
Lowkey ships an update every 6 weeks, and HeyThere every 5 days. Most recently, Lowkey was updated on November 3, 2026 and HeyThere on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons