# UP vs BonChat

UP and BonChat both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of UP's written reviews are positive against 56% of BonChat's. BonChat's advantage is ratings volume (59K vs 29). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 — 4.7 for UP against 4.8 for BonChat. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BonChat has 59K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of UP's written reviews are positive against 56% of BonChat's.

UP ships an update monthly, BonChat every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UP | BonChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/up-messenger/id1644037554/reviews) | **[4.8 (59K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonchat/id6701998686/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **59K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 55.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 136 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Unplugged Technologies Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1644037556) | [Hong Kong CipherChat Tech Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769526889) |

## What reviewers say

### UP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/up-messenger/id1644037554)

This communication tool prioritizes user privacy by offering end-to-end encrypted messaging and calls. It allows for secure sharing of various media types and the creation of private or public chat rooms. The app is designed to prevent data mining and monetization, fully complying with GDPR.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, Encrypted audio/video calls, Screen sharing, Private and public chat rooms, File sharing, Privacy-first design, GDPR compliant

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### BonChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonchat/id6701998686)

This app offers secure messaging and file sharing with state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption. It provides options for private or on-premise server deployment, advanced group management, and a user-friendly interface. Enjoy seamless cross-platform communication with full control over your data.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Private/on-premise server deployment, Advanced group management, User-friendly interface, Cross-platform support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful training
- 💡 Useful updates and news
- 🔒 Safe and secure communication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inadequate training
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 💬 Feature poor (can't hide online status, keyboard hides text area)

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add read receipts (two checkmarks when message is read)
- Improve keyboard and text area usability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UP free?

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

### Is BonChat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UP or BonChat?

BonChat is rated higher. UP averages 4.7 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while BonChat averages 4.8 from 59K ratings.

### Do UP or BonChat have ads?

Neither UP nor BonChat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UP or BonChat?

UP ships an update monthly, and BonChat every 4 weeks. Most recently, UP was updated on September 11, 2026 and BonChat on September 25, 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.*