Tpas Connect vs eMates
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Tpas Connect
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Tpas Connect is the Tpas England member only space to network and share good practice in tenant engagement. Private chat groups Polls Surveys Document library Tpas promotes excellence in tenant engagement through training, advice & accreditation, representing over 1700 tenant groups and 250 landlords.
eMates
Facilitates easy and frequent communication between prisoners and their loved ones. Aims to reduce self-harm by fostering connections and aids in prisoner rehabilitation for release.
- Easy prisoner communication
- Secure messaging
- Reduced self-harm
- Release preparation assistance
- Frequent and varied communication
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eMates (emailaprisoner.com) has the following goals: To help family and friends communicate easily and frequently with Prisoners. To reduce thoughts of self-harm/suicide through increased communication. To assist Prisoners in preparation for release with multiple partner agencies. Communication is a major factor in Prison life and the lack of it can have horrendous consequences. eMates offers a quick, efficient, secure alternative method of communication for Prisoners, their families, friends, legal professionals and related organisations - meaning Prisoners can receive more frequent and varied communication. Documentation continually states Prisoners who are able to maintain family ties are 6 times less likely to re-offend. Please check the locations page to see what features are available at what establishment: https://www.emailaprisoner.com/content/locations
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Tpas Connect at 12.0 against eMates's 15.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Tpas Connect ships an update every 2 weeks, eMates fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tpas Connect | eMates |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 2.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 4.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 92 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Unique Apps Limited | Unilink Technology Services |
Bugs and requests
Tpas Connect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
eMates
Reported bugs
32 issues- App crashes frequently
- Messages fail to send or are lost
- Messages fail to receive
- Login screen freezes or doesn't respond
- Cannot log in even with correct credentials
Show 27 moreShow fewer
- Account registration errors
- Password reset functionality not working
- Money added to account but not usable
- Apple Pay not accepted despite being advertised
- App freezes for several seconds upon opening
- Contacts disappear or duplicate
- Video calls not working
- Multi-factor authentication codes not received or invalid
- Emails marked as sent but appear as drafts
- No notifications for replies
- App crashes after updates
- Scanned reply pages not appearing
- Scrolling issues within the app
- Identity verification link not working
- Error messages when trying to upload ID or face scan
- App not connecting to the server
- Old messages disappearing or blank screens
- Photos attached multiple times and charged
- Dates on sent/received emails changing
- Support email addresses bounce back
- Neatphone facility connection problems
- App not refreshing and showing old messages
- Video visit requests disappearing
- Email sending process disappears mid-way
- Unable to schedule video visits
- App not user-friendly
- Confusing credit system
Requested features
18 requests- Improve app stability and reliability
- Fix message sending and receiving issues
- Resolve login and account access problems
- Address payment and credit issues
- Enhance customer support responsiveness
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Improve message delivery speed
- Fix video call functionality
- Ensure Apple Pay compatibility
- Streamline registration process
- Fix password reset and account recovery
- Provide clear instructions for account crediting
- Resolve multi-factor authentication issues
- Improve user interface and experience
- Add notifications for replies
- Allow saving contacts
- Make app more robust and less buggy
- Address issues with image uploads
- Provide clear communication on prison staff reliance
In-app purchases
Tpas Connect
No in-app purchases
eMates
No in-app purchases
