# Early Scholars vs Piko Chat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Early Scholars at none against Piko Chat's 10. Early Scholars also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 87%) and device support (3 vs 1). Piko Chat's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (3.1K vs 8). On price, rating, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Piko Chat sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Early Scholars asks for nothing beyond the download.

Early Scholars holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Piko Chat has 3.1K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Early Scholars's written reviews are positive against 87% of Piko Chat's.

Early Scholars ships an update every 2 months, Piko Chat every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Early Scholars | Piko Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/early-scholars/id1521960891/reviews)** | [4.8 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piko-chat/id6760045658/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **3.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 87.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 34 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Early Scholars Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521960893) | [Ebonnee Almeida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882489118) |

## What reviewers say

### Early Scholars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/early-scholars/id1521960891)

This app connects students and parents with debate program information, class enrollment, and direct communication tools. It offers event reminders, a news feed for highlights, and exclusive resources. Users can also contact support directly within the application.

**Highlights:** Browse debate offerings, Enroll for classes, One-on-one and group communication, Event reminders and push notifications, News feed for event highlights, Access special resources and videos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Piko Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piko-chat/id6760045658)

Experience a nostalgic chat platform reminiscent of the early internet. Send pixel art notes, private letters, and engage in cozy themed rooms. Customize your profile and express yourself through drawings and reactions without the pressure of endless feeds.

**Highlights:** Send pixel art notes and private letters, Engage in themed 'pod' chat rooms, React to messages and keep conversations alive, Customize profile, status bar, and theme, Add optional public pins to a world map, No endless feed or influencer focus

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Piko Plus Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Piko Plus Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Piko Plus Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Piko Plus Yearly Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Piko Plus Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Piko Plus Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| 100 Piko Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 300 Piko Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 600 Piko Coins | $8.99 | one-time |
| Piko Coins | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Early Scholars free?

Early Scholars is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Piko Chat free?

Piko Chat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Early Scholars or Piko Chat?

Early Scholars is rated higher. Early Scholars averages 5.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Piko Chat averages 4.8 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do Early Scholars or Piko Chat have ads?

Neither Early Scholars nor Piko Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Early Scholars or Piko Chat?

Early Scholars ships an update every 2 months, and Piko Chat every 5 days. Most recently, Early Scholars was updated on November 3, 2026 and Piko Chat on November 9, 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.*