Comparison

SkyText vs Berty Messenger

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

Head to head
About

SkyText

Type messages on your device and display them as scrolling text in real time. Ideal for noisy environments or when silent communication is needed. Offers preset messages and customizable display options.

Highlights
  • Real-time scrolling text display
  • Silent communication
  • Preset message storage and editing
  • Day/night color themes
  • Automatic scrolling on orientation change
  • Supports upside-down display
Features
Read full description

SkyText is the premier text-scrolling application for the iPhone and iPod Touch from Heynow Software. SkyText allows you to type messages on your touch device and display them instantly as scrolling text on its screen. In real time. All from one screen. Here's how it works: 1. Hold your iPhone/iPod Touch in portrait orientation and type text on the keyboard, just like text messaging. 2. Raise your hand (the one holding the device) and face the screen toward the person that you want to display the message to, in landscape orientation. SkyText uses the accelerometer to sense the change in orientation and automatically scrolls the message. That's it. Quick and easy. The way it should be. When would you use SkyText? • In a loud, crowded bar • A hottie is looking at you from a distance and you want to break the ice • You've become thirsty • Your buddy is a the end of the bar, and you just need to taunt him • At a concert • On the golf course • At the airport • At a sporting event • In the parking lot, picking up your kids after a concert • At the beach • In the library • At the race track • While hunting or fishing • Six of you are going skiing, 3 people each in 2 cars. Cell reception is spotty, you need to communicate and don't want to "scream & freeze" • You're a sound engineer and you need to tell the guitar player to turn down • You're in church and need to discreetly tell the reverend that his fly is unzipped • Anywhere you need to communicate with somebody and: • They are unable to hear you • You need to get their attention • You can't get to them • You can't make a sound but want to get a message across When would *you* use SkyText? And, in case you're wondering: √ Yes, after the message ends there's a brief delay, you get a single vibration, and the message scrolls again. √ Yes, when you bring your hand back down, SkyText has cleared the text-entry box and the cursor is blinking, ready for you to type your next message.    √ Yes, if you want re-display the last message, it's still available on the screen. Just tap on it to display it again. √ Yes, you can store messages as preset messages and quickly select them for display with one tap. √ Yes, you can also edit a preset message quickly and display it, with or without saving the edits to the preset itself! √ Yes, you can quickly go between hand-typing and preset messages on the same screen. √ Yes, there are two font/background color combinations for day and night display, quickly accessible on the screen. √ Yes, we know some people are left-handed. SkyText scrolls the text properly regardless of which way you turn it into landscape. You can even flip your phone upside down once it's scrolling, and watch the fun. We put a lot of time and effort into SkyText because, frankly, you shouldn't have to. We're Heynow.

About

Berty Messenger

This app offers secure, end-to-end encrypted messaging without central servers. It allows communication even without an internet connection, ensuring anonymity and protecting user metadata from surveillance.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encrypted messaging
  • 100% decentralized P2P network
  • Completely anonymous user profiles
  • Metadata protection
  • Offline communication via Bluetooth
  • Group chats and media sharing
  • Voice message sharing
Features
Read full description

Berty makes privacy the easy option. Berty is an encrypted and offline peer-to-peer messenger with NO central server. Connect with or without an internet connection, message for free, and avoid surveillance and censorship. DISCLAIMER: Berty is fresh off the development line and hasn’t been audited yet. Please keep this in mind when exchanging data. END-TO-END ENCRYPTED MESSAGING In some countries, even a lol or a like can get you sent to jail. Berty is end-to-end encrypted - not even our developers could access your data, let alone corporations or governments. 100% DECENTRALIZED Just like blockchain technologies, Berty doesn’t pass your data through central servers - the place where internet service providers, hackers, and governments can intercept your data. Instead, Berty’s network is distributed, based on P2P direct messaging. COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS Berty couldn’t care less about who you are. You don’t need to provide your real name, an email, or a date of birth. You don’t even need a SIM card! PROTECT YOUR METADATA You might not know what metadata is, but WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat all collect it. This data can reveal a lot about you - so you’ll be glad to hear Berty is a messaging app alternative that collects as little metadata as humanly possible. COMMUNICATE WITHOUT TRADITIONAL NETWORKS Berty is made to work in the most challenging network conditions in the solar system. If governments, hackers, or natural disasters shut down cellular or internet networks, users can still make vital instant communications over Berty’s proximity Bluetooth feature. JOIN GROUP CHATS Berty is a full-featured instant messaging app. Create groups, chat securely, and share media with friends, family, and colleagues. SHARE VOICE MESSAGES Instantly send encrypted voice memos and audio files on Berty’s decentralized network. FREE FOREVER Privacy is a right for everyone, so Berty doesn’t profit from keeping you safe online. Created by an NGO, Berty will always be free and relies on the generous community to fuel development. TOGGLE BETWEEN ACCOUNTS Create different accounts to split your messaging identities by work, school, family - however, you want to categorize your messages! The Berty messaging app, built on the Berty Protocol, is designed, developed, and deployed by the French non-profit NGO, Berty Technologies. But Berty isn’t just decentralized in terms of its architecture - it’s also owned by the community, not a corporation interested in profits. The progress of Berty relies on developers testing and feeding back on our open source code, generous funding from funds and individual donors, and online and offline advocacy in the community. Documentation on Berty: https://berty.tech/docs Source Code: https://github.com/berty Join Berty’s Discord: Follow Berty on Twitter: @berty

Screenshots

SkyText3 screens
Berty Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SkyText at 82% against Berty Messenger's 33%. SkyText also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and chart position (#91 vs unranked). Berty Messenger's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 39 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Berty Messenger is free to download; SkyText costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SkyText holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Berty Messenger has 22 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of SkyText's written reviews are positive against 33% of Berty Messenger's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SkyText ships an update every 39 months, Berty Messenger every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
SkyText versus Berty Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSkyTextBerty Messenger
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better3.0 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews82.4% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings122 — better
Update frequencyEvery 39 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#91 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.412.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB167 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHeynow SoftwareBerty Technologies

Customer experience

SkyText

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive82.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative17.6%

Berty Messenger

All ratings22 ratings
Positive40.9%
Neutral18.2%
Negative40.9%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

SkyText

No in-app purchases

None

Berty Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SkyText free?
SkyText costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Berty Messenger free?
Berty Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SkyText or Berty Messenger?
SkyText is rated higher. SkyText averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Berty Messenger averages 3.0 from 22 ratings.
Do SkyText or Berty Messenger have ads?
Neither SkyText nor Berty Messenger shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SkyText or Berty Messenger?
SkyText ships an update every 39 months, and Berty Messenger every 2 months. Most recently, SkyText was updated on September 29, 2026 and Berty Messenger on August 21, 2026.

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