# retro message vs Aisma

The clearest difference is review sentiment: retro message at 100% against Aisma's 45%. retro message also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). Aisma's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (224 vs 11). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. retro message sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Aisma sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

retro message holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aisma has 224 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of retro message's written reviews are positive against 45% of Aisma's.

retro message ships an update every 7 months, Aisma weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | retro message | Aisma |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942/reviews)** | [4.4 (224 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aisma-ai-video-editor/id1660783902/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **224** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 44.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +12 |
| Developer | [Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551950945) | [FrostPixel LDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649806793) |

## 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 |


### Aisma

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aisma-ai-video-editor/id1660783902)

Transform your photos into stunning avatars with advanced AI. Generate unique images from text descriptions and choose from a variety of artistic styles to express your individuality.

**Highlights:** AI avatar creation from photos, Text-to-image generation, Multiple artistic styles (Old Money, Barbie, Disney, Gigachad), High-quality digital transformation, Unique digital identity creation

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aisma Plus | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Aisma Pro | $29.99 | per month |
| Aisma Max | $79.99 | per year |
| Aisma Max | $79.99 | per year |
| Magic Avatar Pack 50 Discount | $0.99 | one-time |
| AI Photoshoot (Discount) | $0.99 | one-time |
| AI Photoshoot | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3 Magic Avatar Styles Discount | $2.79 | one-time |
| 4 Magic Avatar Styles Discount | $3.59 | one-time |
| 5 Magic Avatar Styles Discount | $4.39 | one-time |
| 6 Magic Avatar Styles Discount | $5.09 | one-time |
| 3 Magic Avatar Styles | $5.69 | one-time |
| 7 Magic Avatar Styles Discount | $5.79 | one-time |
| 10 Avatar Styles Discount | $7.49 | one-time |
| 5 Magic Avatar Styles | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Unique and beautiful avatars
- 🤩 Fun and engaging experience
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🤖 Impressive AI-generated results

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription and per-image fees
- 🕰️ Long processing times
- 🤖 Inconsistent avatar quality
- 🚫 Unclear pricing and free trial limitations

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Images stuck in the queue indefinitely
- Inability to access purchased content

**Requested features**

- More customization options
- Better resemblance to user's appearance
- Ability to preview images before purchase
- Clearer explanation of subscription and pricing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is retro message free?

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

### Is Aisma free?

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

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

retro message is rated higher. retro message averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Aisma averages 4.4 from 224 ratings.

### Do retro message or Aisma have ads?

Neither retro message nor Aisma shows ads.

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

retro message ships an update every 7 months, and Aisma weekly. Most recently, retro message was updated on October 6, 2026 and Aisma on October 19, 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.*