# retro message vs Pearla Verana

The clearest difference is review sentiment: retro message at 100% against Pearla Verana's 34%. retro message also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and rating (4.6 vs 4.2). Pearla Verana's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (332 vs 11). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. retro message sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Pearla Verana sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. 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: Pearla Verana has 332 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 34% of Pearla Verana's.

retro message ships an update every 9 months, Pearla Verana every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | retro message | Pearla Verana |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942/reviews)** | [4.2 (332 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearla-verana-pro-camera/id6477783991/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **332** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 34.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 53 MB | 157 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551950945) | [Guy Cassidy](https://appshunter.io/developer/586234281) |

## 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 |


### Pearla Verana

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearla-verana-pro-camera/id6477783991)

This professional camera app offers advanced control for photographers and filmmakers. It features RAW capture, film emulation with real-time grain, and extensive Log profile support. An integrated RAW editor and real-time audio mixing enhance creative workflows.

**Highlights:** 14-bit RAW stills and video capture, Real-time film emulation with grain and halation, Extensive Log profile support (Apple Log 2, S-Log3, etc.), Built-in RAW editor for grading and export, Real-time audio mixing, Speech-activated teleprompter, Remote capture from a second iPhone

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Access | $9.99 | per month |
| 3 Months Access | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year Access | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great film simulations
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🔍 Excellent image quality
- 💡 Useful features like open gate video capture
- 🎨 Customizable recipes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, crashes and freezes
- 🔧 Clunky UI and controls
- 💰 Subscription-only model
- 🔍 Inconsistent image rendering
- 🔍 Slow processing and saving

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when switching lenses
- Saved photos don't match preview
- Inability to delete account
- Inconsistent behavior when locking settings

**Requested features**

- Ability to record to external storage
- More advanced video features like focus peaking and zebras
- Easier access to film simulations
- Option to purchase app outright instead of subscription
- Improved performance and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is retro message free?

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

### Is Pearla Verana free?

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

### Which has better reviews, retro message or Pearla Verana?

retro message is rated higher. retro message averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Pearla Verana averages 4.2 from 332 ratings.

### Do retro message or Pearla Verana have ads?

Neither retro message nor Pearla Verana shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, retro message or Pearla Verana?

retro message ships an update every 9 months, and Pearla Verana every 9 days. Most recently, retro message was updated on November 3, 2026 and Pearla Verana 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.*