Comparison

SkyText vs Loops by Pixelfed

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

Loops by Pixelfed

Create and discover short videos on a decentralized network. Enjoy authentic content without ads, tracking, or algorithmic manipulation. Take control of your social media experience.

Highlights
  • Create short videos
  • Discover videos
  • Federated network
  • No ads
  • No tracking
  • Authentic content
Read full description

Create and discover short videos in a federated network that puts you in control. No ads, no tracking, no manipulative algorithms — just authentic content from real people.

Screenshots

SkyText3 screens
Loops by Pixelfed4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Loops by Pixelfed at Free against SkyText's $1.99. Loops by Pixelfed also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 39 months) and ratings volume (30 vs 1). SkyText's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Loops by Pixelfed 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Loops by Pixelfed has 30 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of SkyText's written reviews are positive against 88% of Loops by Pixelfed's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SkyText ships an update every 39 months, Loops by Pixelfed every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
SkyText versus Loops by Pixelfed: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSkyTextLoops by Pixelfed
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.5 (30 ratings)
Positive reviews82.4% of reviews87.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings130 — better
Update frequencyEvery 39 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#87 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.4 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB65 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperHeynow SoftwareDaniel Supernault

Customer experience

SkyText

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

Loops by Pixelfed

All ratings30 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.3%

In-app purchases

None

SkyText

No in-app purchases

None

Loops by Pixelfed

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SkyText free?
SkyText costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Loops by Pixelfed free?
Loops by Pixelfed is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SkyText or Loops by Pixelfed?
SkyText is rated higher. SkyText averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Loops by Pixelfed averages 4.5 from 30 ratings.
Do SkyText or Loops by Pixelfed have ads?
Neither SkyText nor Loops by Pixelfed shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SkyText or Loops by Pixelfed?
SkyText ships an update every 39 months, and Loops by Pixelfed every 3 months. Most recently, SkyText was updated on September 29, 2026 and Loops by Pixelfed on September 28, 2026.

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