retro message vs OnBeat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
retro message
Create unique messages by overlaying custom text or vintage movie quotes onto black-and-white retro video clips. Add a soundtrack to personalize your creations before sending them.
- Select vintage retro clips
- Superimpose custom messages
- Choose from movie quotes
- Add custom soundtracks
- Send via iMessage
- Create personalized messages
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Why message when you can retro message. Got something to say? "retro message is dedicated to the early pioneers of filmmaking—and the filmmaker in all of us" retro message lets you select a black-and-white vintage retro clip, choose a quote from a vintage movie or create your own message to superimpose over the selected clip, include your sound track, then send your retro message—that's it! And hey, the first 3 are free! After that, you'll need a retro membership, but we've streamlined the process to keep pricing low. how does it work? send a retro message in just 4 easy steps: step 1: select a retro clip step 2: select a retro message—based on famous vintage movie quotes—or create your own step 3: select a film score soundtrack step 4: send your retro message! retro message is now available in iMessage. A handful of short retro clips that are fun, fast and retro easy! retro message testimonials: “This app is so much fun! I’m using retro message instead of sending greeting cards from now on!” Marylin B "After installing retro message, my son—8 years old—asked if he could try it. Within seconds, he sent his first retro message to his mom. We were all smiling and impressed at the creativity he expressed, and how easy it was. Great app!" Tommy I "I was asked to beta test retro message, and discovered how easy it was to customize my own message instead of using one of the built-in movie quotes—although the quotes are very cool on their own! Right out of the box, the possibilities and capabilities of this app are really slick! Really, just get the app—you'll love it!" Sean L "Once in a great while, an app comes along that redefines a paradigm—in this case, messaging. This is one such app, and messaging will never be the same as a result." Sandra S The new smart way to send a text message! "So cool and absolutely brilliant. Total fun when creating a new retro message, a great experience! We love it, this app has so much to offer with amazing creativity" On the coast.
OnBeat
Effortlessly create stunning Reels and videos that sync to music. This app offers AI-powered beat synchronization, customizable templates, and a vast music library to make your content shine on social media.
- AI Auto Beat Sync
- Video & Photo Collage
- Extensive Music Library
- Reels Templates & Layouts
- Fonts & Text Editor
- Video Filters
- High-Quality Export
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Skip hours of video editing with OnBeat! The easiest way to create stunning Reels and sync your videos to the beat. Whether it's a travel vlog, weekend recap, or a year in review vid – we've got you covered. Create videos you'll love with our powerful video editor. Perfect for Reels, shorts, stories, and more on Instagram and beyond! Auto Beat Sync & Customization Experience AI-powered video editing magic. OnBeat automatically syncs your videos to the music beat in seconds. Want more control? Easily add custom beats to match your unique style. Create captivating Reels and edit videos effortlessly with our intuitive Reels maker. Photos & Videos Collage OnBeat works seamlessly with both photos and videos. Our video collage feature makes it easy to combine various media types, allowing you to create dynamic and engaging content for your Instagram stories and posts. Perfect for travel recaps and weekend highlights! Extensive Music Library Choose from our vast collection of 50+ copyright-free tracks or import your own music. OnBeat gives you the freedom to use any song that fits your creative vision, ensuring your Reels always have the perfect beat. Best Reels Templates & Layouts for Instagram Stand out with our diverse range of templates for Reels. From eye-catching video recaps to end-of-year highlights, OnBeat offers the best Reels templates for every occasion. Elevate your Instagram presence with professionally crafted templates that make your content shine. Fonts & Text Editor Express yourself with our extensive font collection. OnBeat provides a wide array of typography options to match any mood or style, ensuring your text overlays are as impactful as your visuals. Want to edit the text on your video? No problem, with our customizable video editor! Filters for Video Editing Enhance your Reels with our unique filters. Add that perfect finishing touch to make your videos pop and grab attention. From subtle adjustments to dramatic transformations, our filters help your content stand out. Adjust the intensity of each filter to suit your style! High-Quality Video Export Share your creations in stunning clarity. OnBeat allows you to export your Reels and video edits in high quality, ensuring your hard work looks phenomenal when posted on your Instagram account or any other platform. Upgrade to OnBeat Pro for even more video editing features: - Extract audio from any video - Add music from your personal Files & iTunes library - Access exclusive music tracks, fonts, templates & filters for Reels - Remove the OnBeat watermark Start your free 7-day trial of OnBeat Pro today and revolutionize your video editing and Reels making experience! Download OnBeat now and start creating mesmerizing Reels that sync perfectly to the beat! Our video editor is perfect for vlogs, travel content, weekend recaps, and so much more. Got feature requests or feedback on our Reels maker or video editing tools? We'd love to hear from you! Reach out at onbeat@cardinalblue.com or connect with us on Instagram @onbeat.app Terms of Service: http://cardinalblue.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://cardinalblue.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
retro message and OnBeat both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of retro message's written reviews are positive against 30% of OnBeat's. retro message also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). OnBeat's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 11). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. retro message sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and OnBeat sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for retro message against 4.7 for OnBeat. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OnBeat has 2.4K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of retro message's written reviews are positive against 30% of OnBeat's.
retro message ships an update every 7 months, OnBeat fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | retro message | OnBeat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (11 ratings) | 4.7 (2.4K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 29.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 2.4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 258 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC | Cardinal Blue |
Customer experience
retro message
OnBeat
Bugs and requests
retro message
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
OnBeat
Reported bugs
5 issues- Crashes when trying to save or export videos
- Issues with media loading and syncing
- Unexpected behavior when using certain features
- Compatibility problems on older devices
- Glitches with full-screen and orientation changes
Requested features
5 requests- More free templates and music options
- Improved saving and exporting functionality
- Ability to use own music and media
- Better organization and project management
- Expanded editing tools and customization
In-app purchases
retro message
- retro msg 1 month membership.$1.991 Month
- 3 months retro msg membership$5.993 Months
- retro msg 1 year membership.$19.991 Year
OnBeat
- OnBeat PRO (Weekly)$1.997 Days
- OnBeat PRO$4.991 Month
- OnBeat PRO2 variants$7.991 Month
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- OnBeat PRO7 Days trial$35.991 Year
- OnBeat PRO7 Days trial2 variants$59.991 Year
- OnBeat PRO$159.99









