# Hoot by Loop vs ShadowTalk

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hoot by Loop at none against ShadowTalk's 1. Hoot by Loop also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShadowTalk sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Hoot by Loop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hoot by Loop ships an update weekly, ShadowTalk every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hoot by Loop | ShadowTalk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoot-by-loop/id1565881729/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 102 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.2** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Loop Social Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1487593678) | [Kirill Filippov](https://appshunter.io/developer/891209780) |

## What reviewers say

### Hoot by Loop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoot-by-loop/id1565881729)

An intuitive audio messenger for real-time, private conversations. Record and send voice messages instantly, with optional live transcriptions and video backgrounds. Add friends by bumping phones and send anonymous uplifting messages.

**Highlights:** Hold to record, release to send audio, Live, invisible ink transcriptions, Add video to audio message backgrounds, Dynamic emoji respond to voice, Soundclips from classic movies, Bump phones to add friends, Anonymous daily uplifting push notifications

**In-app purchases:** none


### ShadowTalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowtalk/id6473667328)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hoot by Loop free?

Hoot by Loop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ShadowTalk free?

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

### Do Hoot by Loop or ShadowTalk have ads?

Neither Hoot by Loop nor ShadowTalk shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hoot by Loop or ShadowTalk?

Hoot by Loop ships an update weekly, and ShadowTalk every 8 months. Most recently, Hoot by Loop was updated on September 22, 2026 and ShadowTalk on October 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*