# Seagull IM vs POP

Seagull IM and POP both sit at 3.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Seagull IM's written reviews are positive against 40% of POP's. Seagull IM also leads on ratings volume (46 vs 9). POP's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Seagull IM sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. POP asks for nothing beyond the download.

POP holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Seagull IM has 46 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 87% of Seagull IM's written reviews are positive against 40% of POP's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Seagull IM ships an update every 3 weeks, POP fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Seagull IM | POP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seagull-im/id1584062834/reviews) | **[3.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pop-x/id6714480197/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **46** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **87.2% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 234 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Chengdu zhengdu Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504601973) | [Switchworks Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1456555635) |

## What reviewers say

### Seagull IM

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

This secure messaging app offers end-to-end encrypted chats, voice, and video calls. It prioritizes user privacy with features like screenshot notifications and bidirectional deletion, making communication efficient and private.

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


### POP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pop-x/id6714480197)

This free and secure instant messaging tool allows for large group chats with tens of thousands of members. Communicate and share files and information anytime, anywhere. It prioritizes a safe and healthy communication environment.

**Highlights:** Free instant messaging, Secure communication, Large group chats (tens of thousands of members), File and information sharing, Safe communication environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good to use
- 👍 Functionality is complete
- 👍 Privacy is good
- 👍 Interesting features
- 👍 Good chat experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cannot receive verification code
- 🐛 Cannot log in to PC
- 🐛 Account disappeared
- 🐛 Connection issues
- 🐛 White wallpaper issue

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot receive verification code
- Cannot log in to PC
- Account disappeared
- App stuck on 'connecting'
- White wallpaper issue after setting

**Requested features**

- Develop Android and HarmonyOS versions
- Develop PC version
- Add rich text/image message function
- Add Moments/friend circle function
- Add animated messages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Seagull IM free?

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

### Is POP free?

POP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

POP is rated higher. Seagull IM averages 3.6 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while POP averages 3.8 from 9 ratings.

### Do Seagull IM or POP have ads?

Seagull IM shows ads; POP does not.

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

Seagull IM ships an update every 3 weeks, and POP fortnightly. Most recently, Seagull IM was updated on October 30, 2026 and POP on October 30, 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.*