# eMates vs TCG Trader

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.

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

eMates ships an update fortnightly, TCG Trader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | eMates | TCG Trader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 44 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Unilink Technology Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1253866276) | [Connor Dare](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858838109) |

## 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


### TCG Trader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcg-trader/id6815310530)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 31, 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.*