Comparison

eMates vs Faxo

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Easy prisoner communication
  • Secure messaging
  • Reduced self-harm
  • Release preparation assistance
  • Frequent and varied communication
Features
Read full description

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

About

Faxo

This all-in-one app combines social networking, video sharing, live streaming, messaging, professional profiles, a marketplace, and games. It aims to consolidate multiple app functionalities into a single, familiar interface for enhanced convenience and reduced app fatigue.

Highlights
  • All-in-one super app functionality
  • Social media feeds (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest styles)
  • Live streaming with chat
  • 1:1 and group messaging with calls
  • Professional profiles and job listings
  • Local marketplace for buying and selling
  • Integrated casual games
  • Bluesky client integration
Features
Read full description

The first all-in-one super app—do everything in one fast, familiar place. Feels like Facebook-style friends, Instagram-worthy posts, TikTok-like clips, Pinterest-style boards, WhatsApp-style messaging, Reddit-style communities, X-style micro-updates, LinkedIn-style professional profiles & jobs, Coinbase-style wallet tools, and Craigslist-style classifieds—plus recipes and games—in one app. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Social & Video: Share posts, photos, links, and short videos in feeds you control. Create friendships or follow accounts—and switch between Friends and Following feeds to tailor what you see. • Live Streaming: Go live to followers, groups, or communities with instant chat. • Chat & Groups: 1:1 and group messaging, audio/video calls, communities, and mod tools. • Professional Profiles & Jobs: Create a professional profile, make business connections, follow companies, apply to roles, or post openings. • Business Pages: Launch pages, showcase products or services, and grow an audience—no extra tools required. • Marketplace: Buy & Sell locally with listing chat and trusted profiles. • Earn & Monetize: Sell items or services in Marketplace and receive tips on posts and live streams. • Go Local: See nearby posts, listings, jobs, and events with a location-focused feed. • Events: Create events, RSVP, and share with friends or groups. • Q&A: Ask questions, crowdsource answers, and highlight the best responses. • Recipes & Boards: Save, organize, and share recipes with visual, board-style collections. • Games: Play thousands of casual games and collect your favorites. • Bluesky Client (AT Protocol): Connect your Bluesky account to browse and post via Faxo—switch between Timeline/Clips/Boards views. • Wallet & Payouts: Track balances, receive tips, and manage crypto earnings. CHOOSE YOUR FEED STYLE • Timeline for posts & photos (Facebook-like) • Clips for full-screen discovery (TikTok-like) • Boards for saving and organizing ideas (Pinterest-like) Toggle Friends or Following on Faxo feeds anytime, and switch views on any feed—including your connected Bluesky feed. SAFETY & CONTROL • Block and report tools to keep your experience in your hands • Content filters and moderation features for creators and group owners • Privacy controls for profiles, posts, and groups WHY FAXO • All-in-one convenience: social, video, live, chat, marketplace, local, events, Q&A, professional profiles, jobs, business pages, recipes, games, groups, Bluesky client, earnings, and crypto—together at last. • Familiar by design: feels like what you already know, without juggling multiple apps. • Built to end app fatigue: one download, endless possibilities. Download Faxo and do more with one app. Share a moment, start a live stream, sell a guitar, post a recipe, join a community, play a game, go local, build your career, host an event, earn from your work, or grow a brand—all in one app. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

eMates4 screens
Faxo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Faxo at 50% against eMates's 4%. Faxo also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (237 vs 1). eMates's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Faxo sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. eMates asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Faxo holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Faxo has 237 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 4% of eMates's written reviews are positive against 50% of Faxo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

eMates ships an update fortnightly, Faxo every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
eMates versus Faxo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametereMatesFaxo
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)4.6 (237 ratings) — better
Positive reviews4.5% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1237 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB206 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperUnilink Technology ServicesFaxo, Inc.

Customer experience

eMates

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews89 reviews
Positive4.5%
Neutral4.5%
Negative91.0%

Faxo

All ratings237 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral2.5%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and 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 more
  • 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 more
  • 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

Faxo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

eMates

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Faxo

Subscriptions5
  • Basic Social Network$3.991 Month
  • Basic Business Network$3.991 Month
  • Premium Business Network$7.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Premium+ Social Network$12.991 Month
  • Premium+ Business Network$14.991 Month
One-time5
  • 100 Credits$0.99
  • 500 Credits$4.99
  • 1,050 Credits$9.99
Show 2 more
  • 2,150 Credits$19.99
  • 5,500 Credits$49.99

Questions

Is eMates free?
eMates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Faxo free?
Faxo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, eMates or Faxo?
Faxo is rated higher. eMates averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Faxo averages 4.6 from 237 ratings.
Do eMates or Faxo have ads?
Neither eMates nor Faxo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, eMates or Faxo?
eMates ships an update fortnightly, and Faxo every 3 days. Most recently, eMates was updated on November 3, 2026 and Faxo on November 5, 2026.

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