Comparison

Swirly vs Datepals

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Swirly

Transform your photos by making them swirl down a drain with motivational quotes. Enhance your images with fun features like emoji replacements and face blurring. Save your favorite creations and personalize them with custom quotes and visual styles.

Highlights
  • Swirl images down a drain effect
  • Motivational quote overlay
  • Emoji face replacement
  • Emoji eye replacement
  • Face blur
  • Favorites pinning
  • Custom quotes and styles
Read full description

Swirly anyone or anything. Simply pick an image and watch as it Swirlys down the drain while you are inspired by a motivational quote. Take it to the next level by customizing your Swirly’d photo with features such as Emoji Face Replacement, Emoji Eye Replacement, Face Blur, and more! Pin your go-to Swirlys to Favorites and further personalize your experience with custom quotes, colors, wood, paint, and tile. Flush your troubles away and get back to your productive day with Swirly!

About

Datepals

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
Read full description

On Datepals, couples pool their single friends, and we fully plan a 6 person group date. Your single friends deserve better than an algorithm and it shouldn't be awkward connecting single mutuals across friend groups. AI isn't the solution, mutual friends are! HOW IT WORKS - Couples pool their single friends through a shared link - We merge groups with mutual connections and shared interests - Singles pick who sounds fun (and avoid ex's through our puke emoji!!!) - We plan the rest — time, place, and table. You just show up. WHY GROUP DATES A first date should be low stakes, with some familiar faces for safety. 6 people at one table takes the pressure off — no interview across a two-top, no anonymous chatting beforehand, just read a vibe in person, with friends, before deciding on date two for two! WHY FRIENDS Your friends, their mutual networks, and shared interests make better introductions than a computer can. Trait based matchmaking reduces singles to a picture or stat sheet and makes people feel bad. It isn't how people used to date and it shouldn't be how your single friends should date. SAFETY You can report or block any user at any time, and you can contact our team directly from the app. Take Care of Your Single Friends!!!

Screenshots

Swirly4 screens
Datepals4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Swirly at 46 against Datepals's 3. Swirly also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 days) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Swirly against 5.0 for Datepals. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swirly has 46 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Swirly ships an update every 3 days, Datepals every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Swirly versus Datepals: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwirlyDatepals
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (46 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings46 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB42 MB
Age rating4+17+
Developerjakechasan.comDatepal, Inc.

Customer experience

Swirly

All ratings45 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Datepals

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Swirly

No in-app purchases

None

Datepals

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Swirly free?
Swirly 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, Swirly or Datepals?
Datepals is rated higher. Swirly averages 4.9 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Datepals averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Swirly or Datepals have ads?
Neither Swirly nor Datepals shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Swirly or Datepals?
Swirly ships an update every 3 days, and Datepals every 6 days. Most recently, Swirly was updated on November 3, 2026 and Datepals on October 31, 2026.

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