# Seagull IM vs BatChat

The clearest difference is ads: BatChat at none against Seagull IM's shown. BatChat also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Seagull IM sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and BatChat sells 27 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.6 for Seagull IM against 3.5 for BatChat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 99 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Seagull IM's written reviews are positive against 86% of BatChat's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Seagull IM | BatChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seagull-im/id1584062834/reviews)** | [3.5 (99 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batchat-encrypted-messenger/id1661048017/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **99** |
| Positive reviews | **86.9% of reviews** | 85.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 234 MB | 276 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Chengdu zhengdu Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504601973) | [ChengDu Ciyuan zhishi Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661048019) |

## What reviewers say

### Seagull IM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seagull-im/id1584062834)

This app offers secure, private, and efficient instant messaging with end-to-end encryption. Communicate via text, voice, or video calls, and enjoy features like screenshot notifications and bidirectional deletion for enhanced privacy and control.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Voice and video calls, Screenshot notifications, Bidirectional message deletion, Large group chat management, Application lock

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 海鸥1个月靓号服务券 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥3个月靓号服务券 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥会员-1个月 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 欧币 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥6个月靓号服务券 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 欧币 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥12个月靓号服务券 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥会员-3个月 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 欧币 | $47.99 | one-time |
| 欧币 | $59.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 海鸥会员-12个月 | $99.99 | one-time |
| 1298元欧币 | $199.99 | one-time |


### BatChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batchat-encrypted-messenger/id1661048017)

This secure messaging app offers end-to-end encrypted communication for both personal and professional use. It features private chat modes, encrypted file storage, and high-definition calls, ensuring data security and privacy.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Private chat mode with screenshot alerts, Encrypted local file storage, Multimedia file transfer, HD encrypted voice and video calls, Multi-device synchronization, Virtual avatar creation

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

**In-app purchases (27)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1月的免广告服务 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1个月靓号服务 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 200MB月容量套餐 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 50BF币 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 500MB月容量套餐 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 蝙蝠1个月VIP | $9.99 | one-time |
| 12个月聊天气泡 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1024MB月容量套餐 | $12.99 | one-time |
| 1月自动签到服务 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 3个月VIP | $29.99 | one-time |
| 198Bat币 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 1年靓号服务 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 形象月卡 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 200M收藏容量 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 1个月群机器人 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 终身免广告服务 | $45.00 | one-time |
| 6个月VIP | $59.99 | one-time |
| 398Bat币 | $59.99 | one-time |
| 6个月的自动任务服务 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 588Bat币 | $79.99 | one-time |
| 500M收藏容量套餐 | $89.99 | one-time |
| 1年SVIP | $99.99 | one-time |
| 1年自动签到服务 | $129.99 | one-time |
| 3个月群机器人 | $129.99 | one-time |
| 1024M收藏容量 | $149.99 | one-time |
| 6个月群机器人 | $249.99 | one-time |
| 12个月群机器人 | $499.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Strong privacy and security
- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient performance
- 💡 Unique features like screenshot alerts and self-destructing messages
- 💬 Good for social interaction and making friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues and network errors
- 🐛 App not working or crashing
- 🐛 Some users report it's a scam or phishing software
- 🐛 Paid features for encryption
- 🐛 Frequent ads for non-members

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot log in
- Network connection issues
- Cannot send messages
- App not opening
- Login registration fails for Chinese phone numbers

**Requested features**

- Adapt to landscape mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Seagull IM free?

Seagull IM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BatChat free?

BatChat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Seagull IM or BatChat?

Seagull IM is rated higher. Seagull IM averages 3.6 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while BatChat averages 3.5 from 99 ratings.

### Do Seagull IM or BatChat have ads?

Seagull IM shows ads; BatChat does not.

### Which is updated more often, Seagull IM or BatChat?

Seagull IM ships an update every 2 weeks, and BatChat every 2 weeks. Most recently, Seagull IM was updated on September 22, 2026 and BatChat on September 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*