Comparison

Radio vs Magic Messages

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

Head to head
About

Radio

Stream over 40,000 radio stations and 25,000 podcasts from around the world. Features include a radio alarm clock, sleep timer, and the ability to add your own streams. Enjoy high-quality audio and personalized listening experiences.

Highlights
  • 40,000+ radio stations
  • 25,000+ podcasts
  • Add custom streams
  • Advanced station search
  • Radio alarm clock
  • Sleep timer
  • CarPlay and Apple Watch support
Features
Read full description

Receiver is an Internet radio with over 40,000 radio stations, more than 25,000 podcasts, and a radio alarm clock. Features include: + More than 40,000 radio stations + More than 25,000 podcasts + Add your own streams + Search by genre, region, language, sound quality, popularity, etc. + List of channels with high audio quality + Sync favorites with your other devices + Siri shortcuts + HomePod support + CarPlay support + Apple Watch app + Airplay and Chromecast support + Dark Mode + iMessage app to recommend a station + Widget with your favourite stations + Alarm clock (radio, music, sound) with any number of alarms + Sleep Timer + Snooze function + Beautiful analog clock in landscape format + Choose your individual look from 5 different colors + Show song cover art (if available) + Focused on supporting accessibility features such as "Voice Over" for the visually impaired With Receiver you are always informed about the latest news from a wide variety of sources: sports, Bundesliga live, reports, radio plays, news, music, podcasts, reports, travel, weather and much more. Listen to stations like BBC, NPR, ESPN, Bestnetradio, KCRW, Radio Paradise and many more.

About

Magic Messages

Features
Read full description

Remember those Magic Eye posters? Magic Messages lets you make your own. Draw anything with your finger, or drop in a photo. Magic Messages turns it into a single-image random-dot stereogram — a wall of dots that looks like noise until you relax your eyes and a hidden 3D shape floats up. MAKE IT • Draw with a depth-aware brush — with Apple Pencil, press harder to push a stroke nearer. • Turn any photo into a stereogram: Portrait shots use their real 3D depth, everything else gets smooth on-device AI depth. • Silky-smooth relief or bold stepped planes — your choice. Draw right on top of your photos. • Mirror and kaleidoscope symmetry for instant, satisfying patterns. SEE IT • Stuck? Hold Peek to reveal the answer, or use the red/cyan 3D mode with a pair of anaglyph glasses. • A built-in coach teaches free-fusing, backed by guided practice and a playful “Can you see 3D?” check. SHARE IT • Send hidden messages right inside iMessage. • Export a still, an animated GIF, or a movie — including the mesmerising shimmer, a dynamic stereogram only your eyes can decode. • Share a photo into Magic Messages straight from the Photos app — it can decode stereograms you’ve been sent, too. On iPhone and iPad. Everything happens on your device, and your gallery syncs privately through your own iCloud. Nothing is collected or tracked — we never see your data.

Screenshots

Radio4 screens
Magic Messages4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Magic Messages at Free against Radio's $3.99. Radio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#121 vs unranked). On 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

Magic Messages is free to download; Radio costs $3.99 up front. Magic Messages sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Radio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Radio versus Magic Messages: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRadioMagic Messages
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews73.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#121 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerappsolute GmbHKaolin Fire

Bugs and requests

Radio

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Favorites list disappearing
  • Connectivity issues on cellular data
  • Apple TV app not working with screensaver

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add podcast alarm functionality
  • Implement dark mode theme option
  • Improve station organization and search
  • Allow custom station icons/artwork
  • Add Chromecast support

Magic Messages

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Radio

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Magic Messages

One-time1
  • All Themes$1.99

Questions

Is Radio free?
Radio costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Magic Messages free?
Magic Messages is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Radio or Magic Messages have ads?
Neither Radio nor Magic Messages shows ads.

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