# retro message vs OnBeat

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | retro message | OnBeat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onbeat-reels-maker-editor/id1635685232/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **2.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 29.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 258 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551950945) | [Cardinal Blue](https://appshunter.io/developer/381057842) |

## What reviewers say

### retro message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942)

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.

**Highlights:** Select vintage retro clips, Superimpose custom messages, Choose from movie quotes, Add custom soundtracks, Send via iMessage, Create personalized messages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| retro msg 1 month membership. | $1.99 | per month |
| 3 months retro msg membership | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| retro msg 1 year membership. | $19.99 | per year |


### OnBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onbeat-reels-maker-editor/id1635685232)

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.

**Highlights:** AI Auto Beat Sync, Video & Photo Collage, Extensive Music Library, Reels Templates & Layouts, Fonts & Text Editor, Video Filters, High-Quality Export

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OnBeat PRO (Weekly) | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| OnBeat PRO | $4.99 | per month |
| OnBeat PRO | $7.99 | per month |
| OnBeat PRO | $35.99 | per year |
| OnBeat PRO | $59.99 | per year |
| OnBeat PRO | $159.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient video creation
- 💡 Customizable templates
- 🎨 Good variety of features
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔒 Overly invasive permissions
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Limited template selection
- 🎵 Restricted music options

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is retro message free?

retro message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is OnBeat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, retro message or OnBeat?

OnBeat is rated higher. retro message averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while OnBeat averages 4.7 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do retro message or OnBeat have ads?

Neither retro message nor OnBeat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, retro message or OnBeat?

retro message ships an update every 7 months, and OnBeat fortnightly. Most recently, retro message was updated on October 6, 2026 and OnBeat on October 21, 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.*