# Garmin Messenger™ vs ABA Community

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ABA Community at 63% against Garmin Messenger™'s 20%. ABA Community also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). Garmin Messenger™'s advantage is rating (4.6 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (14K vs 9). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Garmin Messenger™ holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin Messenger™ has 14K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of Garmin Messenger™'s written reviews are positive against 63% of ABA Community's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Garmin Messenger™ ships an update every 3 weeks, ABA Community every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Garmin Messenger™ | ABA Community |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-messenger/id1550351929/reviews)** | [3.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aba-community/id1639941896/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 19.5% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#82** | — |
| Size | 107 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION, INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639941898) |

## What reviewers say

### Garmin Messenger™

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

**Currently charting:** #82 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


### ABA Community

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aba-community/id1639941896)

Connect with fellow bird enthusiasts in a dedicated online community. Engage in themed groups, participate in forums, and get expert advice on bird identification, gear, and travel. Access exclusive opportunities as an ABA member.

**Highlights:** Connect with fellow birders, Engage in themed groups, Participate in forums, Get birding advice, Access exclusive opportunities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Garmin Messenger™ free?

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

### Is ABA Community free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Garmin Messenger™ or ABA Community?

Garmin Messenger™ is rated higher. Garmin Messenger™ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while ABA Community averages 3.4 from 9 ratings.

### Do Garmin Messenger™ or ABA Community have ads?

Neither Garmin Messenger™ nor ABA Community shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Garmin Messenger™ or ABA Community?

Garmin Messenger™ ships an update every 3 weeks, and ABA Community every 2 months. Most recently, Garmin Messenger™ was updated on November 9, 2026 and ABA Community on November 3, 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.*