# UTSW Huddle vs BonChat

The clearest difference is ratings volume: BonChat at 60K against UTSW Huddle's 4. BonChat also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

UTSW Huddle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BonChat has 60K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UTSW Huddle ships an update fortnightly, BonChat every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UTSW Huddle | BonChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utsw-huddle/id1532031279/reviews)** | [4.8 (60K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonchat/id6701998686/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **60K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 55.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 87 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [UT Southwestern Medical Center](https://appshunter.io/developer/1456657592) | [Hong Kong CipherChat Tech Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769526889) |

## What reviewers say

### UTSW Huddle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utsw-huddle/id1532031279)

Stay informed and connected with your team. Access important announcements, contacts, and news to strategize and achieve your goals. Features include video and push notifications for seamless communication.

**Highlights:** Leadership announcements, Contact directory, Referral tools, Healthcare news, Video features, Push notifications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BonChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonchat/id6701998686)

This secure messaging app offers end-to-end encrypted communication for messages and files. It provides options for private or on-premise server deployment, robust group management, and a user-friendly interface across multiple platforms.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Private/on-premise server deployment, Advanced group management, User-friendly interface, Cross-platform support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful training
- 💡 Useful updates and news
- 🔒 Safe and secure communication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inadequate training
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 💬 Feature poor (can't hide online status, keyboard hides text area)

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add read receipts (two checkmarks when message is read)
- Improve keyboard and text area usability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UTSW Huddle free?

UTSW Huddle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BonChat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UTSW Huddle or BonChat?

UTSW Huddle is rated higher. UTSW Huddle averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while BonChat averages 4.8 from 60K ratings.

### Do UTSW Huddle or BonChat have ads?

Neither UTSW Huddle nor BonChat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UTSW Huddle or BonChat?

UTSW Huddle ships an update fortnightly, and BonChat every 4 weeks. Most recently, UTSW Huddle was updated on November 7, 2026 and BonChat on November 10, 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.*