Comparison

Heartbeat Chat vs Sobbefy

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

Head to head
About

Heartbeat Chat

Build and manage your online communities with a versatile platform. Engage members through chat, voice, and video, and create a knowledge base for lasting discussions. Integrate with other tools to automate actions and track growth.

Highlights
  • Customizable channels for chat and posts
  • Voice rooms for real-time conversations
  • Presence indicators for a shared room feel
  • Knowledge base creation from discussions
  • Integration with Zoom, Google Calendar, Salesforce, etc.
  • Automated community match-ups and intros
  • Permission management and payment processing
Features
Read full description

Heartbeat is the home for all your online communities. Create a space where you and your community can have fun through chats, threads, voice, and video. Heartbeat works great for online schools, accelerators, incubators, paid communities, innovations hubs, support groups, and so much more! Whether its a massive, established community, or you're just getting started, Heartbeat makes it easy to build lasting, genuine relationships. LAUNCH AN INVITE-ONLY COMMUNITY SPACE: - Customize channels to use posts or chats and design a space just for you and your community to have deep discussions about how the world is changing or just to share the best restaurants in Atlanta. - Voice rooms help you take your conversations to the next level — jump into a voice room with 1 click - Presence indicators floating around the app show you where other people are, and make it feel like you're in the same room CREATE A LASTING LIBRARY OF KNOWLEDGE - Turn insightful posts into long-lasting knowledge base articles & grow your community off the great conversations that happen - Organize information vital to your community members & create a space they can always reference for the best information - Manage access through powerful permissioning tools native to Hearbeat SCALE YOUR COMMUNITY LIKE A BOSS - Use deep integrations with Zoom, Google Calendar, Salesforce, Hubspot, Airtable, and more to automate community actions & track deep analytics over time to see how your community is growing - Automate in-community match-ups and conversations through customizable, weekly Heartbeat intros - Create moderators, special access permissions, manage payments, oversee projects & more within your customizable community space

About

Sobbefy

Connect with individuals on a similar journey towards recovery. Discover supportive communities, find local resources, and engage in private chats. Easily create a profile and start building connections with others who understand your path.

Highlights
  • Find sober people nearby
  • Private chat and messaging
  • Tagging for interests and goals
  • Create private support groups
  • Filter search for specific needs
  • Profile management and blocking
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Sobbefy, the world's #1 free recovery app serving individuals struggling with addiction. If you're seeking support, guidance, and connection, Sobbefy is the best and easiest way to meet others who understand your journey. Whether you're in recovery, seeking help, or just curious, Sobbefy is the ultimate tool for connecting with others who share your goals. With Sobbefy, you'll always be connected to a supportive community around you and have access to resources and events happening in your area. Creating your profile is easy, and you can share as much or little about yourself as you like. Within minutes, you'll be ready to connect, chat, and meet up with others near you. Sobbefy features: •⁠ ⁠See people nearby based on your location •⁠ ⁠Chat and share private messages •⁠ ⁠Add tags to share your interests and goals •⁠ ⁠Search tags to find others based on their interests and goals •⁠ ⁠Create private groups to share resources and support •⁠ ⁠Filter your search to find what you need •⁠ ⁠Star your favorites and block others •⁠ ⁠Report concerns easily and safely Upgrade to Sobbefy Premium for even more features and control: •⁠ ⁠Ad-free experience •⁠ ⁠See up to 600 profiles at once •⁠ ⁠View only people who are online now •⁠ ⁠View only profiles with a photo •⁠ ⁠Filter by interests, goals, and more Get the ultimate Sobbefy experience with Sobbefy Unlimited: •⁠ ⁠Unlimited profiles •⁠ ⁠Full access to your Connections list •⁠ ⁠Incognito mode - browse profiles without being seen •⁠ ⁠Unsend messages and photos •⁠ ⁠All Premium features Need help? Contact us through: https://sobbefy.com/ Sobbefy Subscriptions: Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the renewal price within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period unless you change your subscription preferences in your App Store account settings. Terms of Service: https://sobbefy.com/terms-and-condition.html Privacy Policy: https://sobbefy.com/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Heartbeat Chat4 screens
Sobbefy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sobbefy at 90% against Heartbeat Chat's 39%. Sobbefy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Heartbeat Chat's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (119 vs 6). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Sobbefy sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Heartbeat Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sobbefy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Heartbeat Chat has 119 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Heartbeat Chat's written reviews are positive against 90% of Sobbefy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Heartbeat Chat ships an update every 5 weeks, Sobbefy fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Heartbeat Chat versus Sobbefy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeartbeat ChatSobbefy
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (119 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews39.1% of reviews90.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings119 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.114.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB83 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperHeartbeat Chat, IncLuis Castillo

Customer experience

Heartbeat Chat

All ratings119 ratings
Positive67.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative26.9%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive39.1%
Neutral12.5%
Negative48.4%

Sobbefy

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%

Bugs and requests

Heartbeat Chat

Reported bugs

40 issues
  • Audio playback stops when phone locks
  • Users struggle with logging in
  • App is not optimized for iPad, especially in landscape view
  • Invasion of privacy concerns regarding photo access
  • Notifications are inconsistent and important messages are missed
Show 35 more
  • Auto-subscriptions and difficulty with cancellation
  • App performance is non-existent, leading to slow loading and unresponsiveness
  • Content overlaps
  • Tiny frame on iPad, displaying a mobile view
  • Forced photo upload during sign-up
  • Email already in use error after providing email
  • Courses are inaccessible
  • Slow response from support
  • App fails to update
  • Unable to access community
  • Unable to cancel subscription
  • Charged without consent
  • App not working on iPhone
  • App freezes frequently
  • White screen issues upon opening the app
  • App does not function correctly
  • Messages not sending when the send button is tapped
  • App doesn't work on tablets
  • Phantom notifications causing frustration
  • App crashes frequently
  • Jank and unstable performance
  • App shows it has posted but it never publishes
  • Notifications and Activity pages have major glitches and don't refresh
  • Unable to pull down the Activity page to refresh
  • App started messing up immediately, unable to access anything
  • App asks for information, then shows an error that it cannot find the channel
  • App loads but nothing is tappable or responsive
  • App is constantly freezing
  • App crashes after iOS update
  • App shows communication but refuses to show what it is
  • App shows a white screen and is unusable
  • App shows a white screen and is garbage
  • App shows it has posted but it never published the comment
  • Notifications are funky and make zero sense
  • App doesn't work correctly on iPhone

Requested features

17 requests
  • Allow audio to play while phone locks
  • Improve iPad optimization, especially in landscape view
  • Fix the app icon to not resemble a dating app
  • Allow users to change their RSVP to an event after confirming
  • Enable users to join public threads via the app
Show 12 more
  • Improve image embedding, especially on mobile
  • Reduce excessive white space
  • Fix notification logic
  • Improve image insertion functionality
  • Add permalinks to the app
  • Allow location changes within the app
  • Fix phantom notifications
  • Enable profile editing
  • Fix the login process for users
  • Make the app work on tablets
  • Improve backend setup on mobile
  • Allow deletion of communities on mobile

Sobbefy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Heartbeat Chat

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Sobbefy

Subscriptions7
  • Sobbefy Sliver Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Sobbefy Sliver weekly$4.997 Days
  • Sobbefy Sliver 3 Months$12.993 Months
Show 4 more
  • Sobbefy Gold Weekly$19.997 Days
  • Sobbefy Silver 6 Months$20.996 Months
  • Sobbefy Gold Monthly$29.991 Month
  • Sobbefy Sliver yearly$32.991 Year

Questions

Is Heartbeat Chat free?
Heartbeat Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sobbefy free?
Sobbefy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Heartbeat Chat or Sobbefy?
Sobbefy is rated higher. Heartbeat Chat averages 3.9 out of 5 from 119 ratings, while Sobbefy averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do Heartbeat Chat or Sobbefy have ads?
Neither Heartbeat Chat nor Sobbefy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Heartbeat Chat or Sobbefy?
Heartbeat Chat ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sobbefy fortnightly. Most recently, Heartbeat Chat was updated on September 22, 2026 and Sobbefy on September 19, 2026.

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