Comparison

retro message vs Muse

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

retro message

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
Read full description

Why message when you can retro message. Got something to say? "retro message is dedicated to the early pioneers of filmmaking—and the filmmaker in all of us" retro message lets you select a black-and-white vintage retro clip, choose a quote from a vintage movie or create your own message to superimpose over the selected clip, include your sound track, then send your retro message—that's it! And hey, the first 3 are free! After that, you'll need a retro membership, but we've streamlined the process to keep pricing low. how does it work? send a retro message in just 4 easy steps: step 1: select a retro clip step 2: select a retro message—based on famous vintage movie quotes—or create your own step 3: select a film score soundtrack step 4: send your retro message! retro message is now available in iMessage. A handful of short retro clips that are fun, fast and retro easy! retro message testimonials: “This app is so much fun! I’m using retro message instead of sending greeting cards from now on!” Marylin B "After installing retro message, my son—8 years old—asked if he could try it. Within seconds, he sent his first retro message to his mom. We were all smiling and impressed at the creativity he expressed, and how easy it was. Great app!" Tommy I "I was asked to beta test retro message, and discovered how easy it was to customize my own message instead of using one of the built-in movie quotes—although the quotes are very cool on their own! Right out of the box, the possibilities and capabilities of this app are really slick! Really, just get the app—you'll love it!" Sean L  "Once in a great while, an app comes along that redefines a paradigm—in this case, messaging. This is one such app, and messaging will never be the same as a result." Sandra S The new smart way to send a text message! "So cool and absolutely brilliant. Total fun when creating a new retro message, a great experience! We love it, this app has so much to offer with amazing creativity" On the coast.

About

Muse

Transform your ideas into stunning visuals with this AI-powered app. Generate captivating videos and images from text prompts, and enhance your photos with artistic styles. Share your creations and discover inspiration within a vibrant community.

Highlights
  • Text to video generation
  • Text to image generation
  • Image to image style transfer
  • Share creations within the app
  • Explore user-generated content gallery
Features
Read full description

Create. Innovate. Share. Unleash your creativity with our revolutionary mobile app that offers a seamless fusion of artificial intelligence and artistic expression. With our app, you can effortlessly transform your thoughts into captivating visuals, whether it's through videos or images. Text to Video: Have a brilliant idea but lack the means to bring it to life? Let our AI-powered engine do the heavy lifting for you. Simply input your concept as text, and watch as our algorithms craft mesmerizing videos, turning your imagination into reality. Text to Image: From fleeting thoughts to tangible creations, our Text to Image feature transforms your prompts into stunning visuals. Whether it's a vivid landscape or an abstract masterpiece, our AI is here to translate your ideas into captivating imagery. Image to Image: Elevate your selfies to the next level with our Image to Image feature. Choose from a variety of styles such as illusion, cartoon, high school, business, watercolor, and more. Watch as your photos undergo a metamorphosis, reflecting the essence of your selected style. Share and Inspire: Your creations are meant to be shared. Seamlessly share your videos and photos within the app, and immerse yourself in a community of like-minded individuals. Browse through a gallery of user-generated content, draw inspiration from others, and let your imagination soar. Features: -Transform text into engaging videos -Convert prompts into captivating images -Customize selfies with various artistic styles -Share creations within the app -Explore a diverse gallery of user-generated content Unlock the power of creativity with Muse. Download now and embark on a journey of endless inspiration and innovation. Note: A Muse premium subscription is required to create AI videos. Privacy Policy: https://www.marsstudios.co/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.marsstudios.co/terms

Screenshots

retro message4 screens
Muse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: retro message at 100% against Muse's 17%. retro message also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.1). Muse's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 11). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. retro message sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Muse sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

retro message holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Muse has 1.8K 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 17% of Muse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

retro message ships an update every 9 months, Muse every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
retro message versus Muse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterretro messageMuse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (11 ratings) — better4.1 (1.8K ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings111.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB204 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScott Hawthorne R&D LLCMars Studios

Customer experience

retro message

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Muse

All ratings1,810 ratings
Positive76.2%
Neutral3.6%
Negative20.1%
Written reviews305 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative80.7%

Bugs and requests

retro message

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Muse

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to download generated videos
  • Inconsistent video quality
  • Randomly depleted video credits
  • Compatibility issues with various devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Longer video duration
  • More customization options
  • Free trial period
  • Improved customer support

In-app purchases

3 purchases

retro message

Subscriptions3
  • retro msg 1 month membership.$1.991 Month
  • 3 months retro msg membership$5.993 Months
  • retro msg 1 year membership.$19.991 Year
10 purchases

Muse

Subscriptions8
  • AI Text to Video Weekly$6.997 Days
  • AI Text to Video Monthly$9.991 Month
  • AI Text to Video Weekly$12.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • Annual Plan %50 Offer$12.991 Year
  • AI Text to Video Monthly$14.991 Month
  • One Time Offer Yearly$39.991 Year
  • AI Text to Video Annual$59.991 Year
  • AI Text to Video Yearly$69.991 Year
One-time2
  • Small Package$3.99
  • Large Package$19.99

Questions

Is retro message free?
retro message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Muse free?
Muse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, retro message or Muse?
retro message is rated higher. retro message averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Muse averages 4.1 from 1.8K ratings.
Do retro message or Muse have ads?
Neither retro message nor Muse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, retro message or Muse?
retro message ships an update every 9 months, and Muse every 2 weeks. Most recently, retro message was updated on November 3, 2026 and Muse on November 4, 2026.

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