# w/Friends vs Datepals

The clearest difference is update cadence: Datepals at every 6 days against w/Friends's every 3 weeks. Datepals also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 86%). w/Friends's advantage is ratings volume (22 vs 3). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for w/Friends against 5.0 for Datepals. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: w/Friends has 22 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of w/Friends's written reviews are positive against 100% of Datepals's.

w/Friends ships an update every 3 weeks, Datepals every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | w/Friends | Datepals |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wfriends/id1609622139/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datepals/id6789246160/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 62 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kyle Hatcher](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561699661) | [Datepal, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896656820) |

## What reviewers say

### w/Friends

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wfriends/id1609622139)

Share your life's soundtrack with music and visuals. Collaborate on playlists, connect with a global community of music lovers, and express yourself through text updates. This platform integrates with Apple Music for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Apple Music integration, Visual storytelling with music, Text updates and social connection, Collaborative playlist creation, Global music community, Privacy controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Datepals

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datepals/id6789246160)

This app facilitates group dates by allowing couples to invite their single friends. It uses mutual connections and shared interests to plan low-pressure, fun outings for six people, taking the awkwardness out of introductions.

**Highlights:** Group date planning for six people, Connect single friends through mutuals, Merge groups based on shared interests, Singles choose who to meet, AI-free matchmaking, Safety features with reporting and blocking

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is w/Friends free?

w/Friends is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Datepals free?

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

### Which has better reviews, w/Friends or Datepals?

Datepals is rated higher. w/Friends averages 4.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Datepals averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do w/Friends or Datepals have ads?

Neither w/Friends nor Datepals shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, w/Friends or Datepals?

w/Friends ships an update every 3 weeks, and Datepals every 6 days. Most recently, w/Friends was updated on October 24, 2026 and Datepals on October 7, 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.*