# retro message vs Deforum

The clearest difference is review sentiment: retro message at 100% against Deforum's 33%. retro message also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2). Deforum's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (1.1K 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 Deforum sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Deforum has 1.1K 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 33% of Deforum's.

retro message ships an update every 7 months, Deforum every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | retro message | Deforum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942/reviews)** | [4.2 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deforum-ai-art/id6449461964/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 32.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551950945) | [NIWOQ STEEL LP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565017700) |

## 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 |


### Deforum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deforum-ai-art/id6449461964)

Transform your ideas into stunning visual stories with an advanced AI art generator. Explore endless creative possibilities and produce high-quality videos with an intuitive interface and a vast array of styles and effects.

**Highlights:** AI art generation, High-quality video production, Intuitive user interface, Multiple artistic styles, Variety of effects, Transform ideas into visual stories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Week Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| 15 second video | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Handmade video | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🎨 Stunning visual transformations
- ⚡ Quick processing speed
- 🎉 Impressive AI capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Subscription-based model with limited free options
- 💰 Expensive paid features
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and reliability issues
- 🤖 Questionable AI quality and accuracy

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and app freezes
- Prolonged processing times
- Incorrect or distorted image/video outputs
- Billing and subscription problems

**Requested features**

- Free video saving option
- More customization and control over transformations
- Improved compatibility with various media types
- Transparent pricing and subscription details


## Frequently asked questions

### Is retro message free?

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

### Is Deforum free?

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

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

retro message is rated higher. retro message averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Deforum averages 4.2 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do retro message or Deforum have ads?

Neither retro message nor Deforum shows ads.

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

retro message ships an update every 7 months, and Deforum every 3 days. Most recently, retro message was updated on June 5, 2026 and Deforum on September 22, 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.*