Comparison

eMates vs TCG Trader

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

TCG Trader

Features
Read full description

TCG Trader is built for Pokémon TCG collectors who want to trade cards with other collectors nearby. Build your collection, create your Want List, list cards you’re willing to trade, and discover traders based on what you have and what you want. COLLECT Keep track of the cards in your Vault and build your personal collection. WANT Add cards you’re looking for to your Targets and keep track of what you want to find. CONNECT Chat with matched traders and arrange your trade. TRADE List cards you’re willing to trade and discover other collectors nearby. Make offers, negotiate with counter offers, and agree trades directly through the app. TCG Trader is designed around real-world card trading between collectors. The app helps you find potential matches, communicate and organise trades, while the actual exchange takes place between the traders. TCG Trader does not verify the authenticity, condition or value of cards. Always check cards carefully and use your own judgement before completing a trade.

Screenshots

eMates4 screens
TCG Trader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: TCG Trader at every 2 days against eMates's fortnightly. eMates's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). 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, TCG Trader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
eMates versus TCG Trader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametereMatesTCG Trader
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews4.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUnilink Technology ServicesConnor Dare

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

TCG Trader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

eMates

No in-app purchases

None

TCG Trader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is eMates free?
eMates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TCG Trader free?
TCG Trader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do eMates or TCG Trader have ads?
Neither eMates nor TCG Trader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, eMates or TCG Trader?
eMates ships an update fortnightly, and TCG Trader every 2 days. Most recently, eMates was updated on November 3, 2026 and TCG Trader on October 26, 2026.

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