Comparison

eMates vs ACT Community

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

ACT Community

Features
Read full description

The ACT App – Your Companion in Christian Education Welcome to the ACT App Designed with Christian educators in mind, the ACT app is your go-to companion as you live out your faith in the UK’s nurseries, schools, colleges, and universities. Whether you’re in the classroom, the staffroom, or working behind the scenes, the ACT app is here to support, equip, and connect you with a growing community of Christians in education. What You’ll Find in the ACT App Resources at Your Fingertips - Instant access to a wide range of resources to help you teach, lead, and witness with wisdom and confidence. From classroom materials to guidance on navigating your faith in the workplace, everything is just a tap away. Weekly Prayer Points - Stay rooted in prayer with weekly reminders for prayer focused on national issues, schools, and fellow Christian educators. Be encouraged to pray in faith for our schools, students and one another. ACT Podcasts - Tune in to encouraging and thought-provoking conversations with Christian teachers, leaders, and thinkers. Be inspired by stories of faith in action across the education landscape. Up-to-Date News - Be the first to hear about relevant education updates, legal developments, and ACT campaigns—all from a Christian perspective. Connect with Community - Join our online ACT community to share encouragement, ideas, and prayer with others who understand the unique opportunities and challenges of education today. About ACT From nursery teachers to university lecturers, TAs to governors, ACT (Association of Christian Teachers) exists to help Christian educators live boldly for Christ, lead effectively, and thrive in every part of school life. We support Christian educators through three key areas: Connect - We bring together believers across all areas of education to encourage one another and share best practice. Resource - We provide practical tools and spiritual support to help you thrive professionally and grow in your Christian calling. Influence - We speak into educational issues from a biblical worldview and partner with others to shape policy and promote training. Download the ACT App Today! Whether you’re looking for encouragement, prayer, ideas or a place to connect—this app is for you. We pray it will bring glory to God in education.

Screenshots

eMates4 screens
ACT Community4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: eMates at fortnightly against ACT Community's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

eMates ships an update fortnightly, ACT Community every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
eMates versus ACT Community: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametereMatesACT Community
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews4.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB99 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperUnilink Technology ServicesAssociation of Christian Teachers

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

ACT Community

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

eMates

No in-app purchases

None

ACT Community

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is eMates free?
eMates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ACT Community free?
ACT Community is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do eMates or ACT Community have ads?
Neither eMates nor ACT Community shows ads.
Which is updated more often, eMates or ACT Community?
eMates ships an update fortnightly, and ACT Community every 2 months. Most recently, eMates was updated on October 15, 2026 and ACT Community on October 10, 2026.

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