# retro message vs Gram AI

retro message and Gram AI both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of retro message's written reviews are positive against 20% of Gram AI's. Gram AI's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (3K 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 Gram AI sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 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 4.5 for Gram AI. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gram AI has 3K 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 20% of Gram AI's.

retro message ships an update every 9 months, Gram AI fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | retro message | Gram AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942/reviews)** | [4.5 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gram-ai-art-creator/id1664863107/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **3K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 20.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 163 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551950945) | [UBI MEDIA FZE LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582821233) |

## 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, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**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 |


### Gram AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gram-ai-art-creator/id1664863107)

Transform your photos into over 100 unique AI-generated avatars across various styles like professional, cyberpunk, and anime. Express yourself with personalized art in about 20 minutes.

**Highlights:** 100+ AI photorealistic avatars, 5 distinct art styles, Professional headshots, Cyberpunk and anime styles, Fast generation time, Requires 5+ photos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Week Subscription | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Subscriptio | $39.99 | per year |
| Avatars Pack 1 Discount | $2.99 | one-time |
| Avatars Pack 1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Avatars Pack 2 Discount | $4.99 | one-time |
| Avatars Pack 3 Discount | $6.99 | one-time |
| Avatars Pack 2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Avatars Pack 3 | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Stunning AI-generated artworks
- 🎨 Diverse artistic styles
- ⚡️ Fast processing speed
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription and additional fees
- 🚫 Paywall blocks access to core features
- 🤖 Inconsistent AI quality, some results don't resemble user
- 🐛 Frequent errors and crashes

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't open, 'Let's Go' button not working
- Uploaded photos not processing, getting error messages
- Incorrect or irrelevant AI-generated images

**Requested features**

- Ability to cancel subscription easily
- More transparency on pricing and limitations
- Improved AI accuracy and consistency


## Frequently asked questions

### Is retro message free?

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

### Is Gram AI free?

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

### Which has better reviews, retro message or Gram AI?

retro message is rated higher. retro message averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Gram AI averages 4.5 from 3K ratings.

### Do retro message or Gram AI have ads?

Neither retro message nor Gram AI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, retro message or Gram AI?

retro message ships an update every 9 months, and Gram AI fortnightly. Most recently, retro message was updated on November 3, 2026 and Gram AI on November 12, 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.*