# eMates vs Craigdale Connect

The clearest difference is update cadence: eMates at fortnightly against Craigdale Connect's every 8 months. eMates also leads on device support. Craigdale Connect's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

eMates ships an update fortnightly, Craigdale Connect every 8 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | eMates | Craigdale Connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emates/id1573352170/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 4.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | — |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 44 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | — |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Unilink Technology Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1253866276) | [Unique Apps Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590994133) |

## What reviewers say

### eMates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emates/id1573352170)

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.

**Highlights:** Easy prisoner communication, Secure messaging, Reduced self-harm, Release preparation assistance, Frequent and varied communication

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Essential service for communication
- 👍 Better than nothing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Messages not sending or receiving
- 🐛 Login issues and account problems
- 🐛 Payment issues and money lost
- 🐛 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Craigdale Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/craigdale-connect/id1610283682)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is eMates free?

eMates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Craigdale Connect free?

Craigdale Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which is updated more often, eMates or Craigdale Connect?

eMates ships an update fortnightly, and Craigdale Connect every 8 months. Most recently, eMates was updated on November 3, 2026 and Craigdale Connect on November 3, 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.*