# Bar Talk vs Private Message Box

Bar Talk and Private Message Box both sit at 3.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Bar Talk's written reviews are positive against 7% of Private Message Box's. Bar Talk also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). Private Message Box's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (monthly vs every 37 months). On rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Private Message Box is free to download; Bar Talk costs $0.99 up front. Private Message Box sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Bar Talk asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.0 for Bar Talk against 2.9 for Private Message Box. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Message Box has 20 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Bar Talk's written reviews are positive against 7% of Private Message Box's.

Bar Talk ships an update every 37 months, Private Message Box monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bar Talk | Private Message Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bar-talk/id370787594/reviews)** | [2.9 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-message-box/id907028613/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **20** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 6.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 37 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#139** | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Seaside Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/349891547) | [Vartit Technology Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/907028616) |

## What reviewers say

### Bar Talk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bar-talk/id370787594)

**Currently charting:** #139 Top Paid · Social Networking (US App Store)

This app allows users to send large, animated messages displayed on their device's screen to catch someone's attention from a distance. It offers customization options for messages, colors, and transitions, suitable for various social or emergency situations.

**Highlights:** Customizable animated messages, 11 color options, 4 transition styles, Up to 20 stored messages, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Private Message Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-message-box/id907028613)

Secure your private conversations with password protection. Send unlimited texts, photos, and location details to other users for free. Enhance your privacy with a virtual number option.

**Highlights:** Password protected conversations, Free texting between users, Send unlimited text, photo, and location, Full emoji support, Virtual number for hidden communication, Privacy Guard

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Proversion | $4.99 | per year |
| Buy Number - Zone1 Yearly | $21.99 | per year |
| Buy Number - Zone2 Yearly | $58.99 | per year |
| Buy Number - Zone3 Yearly | $102.99 | per year |
| Get SMS Balance | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bar Talk free?

Bar Talk costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Private Message Box free?

Private Message Box is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bar Talk or Private Message Box?

Bar Talk is rated higher. Bar Talk averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Private Message Box averages 2.9 from 20 ratings.

### Do Bar Talk or Private Message Box have ads?

Private Message Box shows ads; Bar Talk does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bar Talk or Private Message Box?

Bar Talk ships an update every 37 months, and Private Message Box monthly. Most recently, Bar Talk was updated on October 2, 2026 and Private Message Box on October 1, 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.*