# Garmin Messenger™ vs Type Big

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Type Big at 100% against Garmin Messenger™'s 19%. Type Big also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and device support (3 vs 1). Garmin Messenger™'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 19 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Type Big sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Garmin Messenger™ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Type Big holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Messenger™ has 14K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Garmin Messenger™'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Type Big's.

Garmin Messenger™ ships an update every 3 weeks, Type Big every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Messenger™ | Type Big |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-messenger/id1550351929/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/type-big/id1598053702/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 19.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#77** | — |
| Size | 107 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [One Man Shy LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582403102) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Messenger™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-messenger/id1550351929)

**Currently charting:** #77 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Communicate globally with friends and family, even without cell service. Pair with a compatible satellite communicator for secure messaging and SOS capabilities. Enjoy automatic network switching for reliable connectivity and real-time location sharing.

**Highlights:** Global messaging, Interactive SOS, Group messaging, Photo and voice messaging, Automatic network switching, Real-time location sharing (LiveTrack)

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Great messaging functionality
- 👍 Seamless cellular and satellite communication
- 🚀 Consolidated messaging experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Activation and verification issues
- 🐛 Pairing problems with InReach devices
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 👎 Difficult to use and navigate
- 👎 Lack of support for older InReach models

**Reported bugs**

- No verification code received
- App freezes during activation
- Inconsistent behavior between app and device
- Messaging not working in areas with no cell coverage

**Requested features**

- Ability to message non-Messenger contacts
- Improved contact management and syncing
- Apple Watch compatibility
- Ability to delete messages on paired devices
- Better integration with Garmin Explore app


### Type Big

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/type-big/id1598053702)

Communicate silently and effectively with large, resizable text. Personalize your messages with custom fonts and colors, and access your history and favorites quickly. Ideal for noisy environments or when you need to be seen and understood.

**Highlights:** Resizable large text display, On-device translation (subscription), Edit messages in place, Customizable fonts and colors, Favorites and history, Presentation mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Translation - Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Translation - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Translation - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Messenger™ free?

Garmin Messenger™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Type Big free?

Type Big is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Garmin Messenger™ or Type Big?

Type Big is rated higher. Garmin Messenger™ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Type Big averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Garmin Messenger™ or Type Big have ads?

Neither Garmin Messenger™ nor Type Big shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Garmin Messenger™ or Type Big?

Garmin Messenger™ ships an update every 3 weeks, and Type Big every 19 months. Most recently, Garmin Messenger™ was updated on October 21, 2026 and Type Big on October 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*