# Pay Tel vs VIPChat App

The clearest difference is rating: VIPChat App at 5.0 against Pay Tel's 1.8. VIPChat App also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). Pay Tel's advantage is ratings volume (147 vs 3) and chart position (#161 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

VIPChat App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pay Tel has 147 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pay Tel ships an update every 2 months, VIPChat App every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pay Tel | VIPChat App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (147 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pay-tel/id1593243820/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vipchat-app/id6802565067/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **147** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 6.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#161** | — |
| Size | 34 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pay Tel Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/1593243822) | [Edwin Pena](https://appshunter.io/developer/1574096202) |

## What reviewers say

### Pay Tel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pay-tel/id1593243820)

**Currently charting:** #161 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Stay connected with loved ones. Receive instant alerts for messages and notifications. Easily view your balance and add funds, or send photos to inmates in eligible correctional facilities.

**Highlights:** Instant message alerts, Unread message count, Current balance visibility, Add funds link, Send photos to inmates

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Enables communication with incarcerated loved ones
- 📹 Video calling functionality available
- 💬 Messaging feature when working properly
- ✅ App works smoothly after recent updates (per some users)
- 🎯 Easy to add funds/make payments

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- ❌ Messages fail to send or display
- 🔌 Constant login errors and authentication failures
- ⏱️ Extremely slow loading times
- 🔄 App randomly logs users out mid-session

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- Login authentication errors persist across sessions
- Messages fail to send despite payment being deducted
- Messages don't appear in inbox despite being sent
- App logs out randomly while actively in use

**Requested features**

- Improved app stability and performance optimization
- Better customer service responsiveness (live chat, phone support)
- Reduced pricing for calls and messages
- Same-day video visit scheduling
- Better message persistence (don't delete on app exit)


### VIPChat App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vipchat-app/id6802565067)

Connect instantly with friends and family through text, photos, videos, and voice messages. This free messaging app offers a clean, simple interface with push notifications to ensure you never miss an important conversation.

**Highlights:** Instant text messaging, Photo and video sharing, Voice messages, Push notifications, Clean, simple design, Completely free

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pay Tel free?

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

### Is VIPChat App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pay Tel or VIPChat App?

VIPChat App is rated higher. Pay Tel averages 1.8 out of 5 from 147 ratings, while VIPChat App averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Pay Tel or VIPChat App have ads?

Neither Pay Tel nor VIPChat App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pay Tel or VIPChat App?

Pay Tel ships an update every 2 months, and VIPChat App every 6 days. Most recently, Pay Tel was updated on October 22, 2026 and VIPChat App on October 6, 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.*