Comparison

GroupMe vs Flare

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

Head to head
About

GroupMe

Connect with family, friends, and colleagues through group chats, direct messages, and shared media. Easily add members via phone number or email, control notifications, and express yourself with custom emojis and GIFs. Share photos and videos to relive memories later.

Highlights
  • Group chat creation
  • Direct messaging
  • Custom emoji and GIFs
  • Photo and video sharing
  • Notification control
  • Web access
Features
Read full description

GroupMe - the free, simple way to stay in touch with the people who matter most. Family. Roommates. Friends. Coworkers. Teams. Vacations. Greek Life. Bands. Faith Groups. Events. “Lifechanger.... utterly indispensable” -Gizmodo START CHATTING Add anyone to a group via their phone number or email address. If they don’t have the app, they can start chatting over SMS immediately. CONTROL NOTIFICATIONS You’re in charge! Mute specific chats, or the entire app – you can even leave or end group chats. SAY MORE THAN WORDS With an extensive set of exclusive emoji, you can express yourself in a whole new way. THE WHOLE INTERNET IN YOUR GROUP Meme images, search for and send GIFs and videos, and see content shared from URLs displayed in the chat. SHARE NOW, RELIVE LATER The gallery saves your memories. Easily explore the photos and videos shared in your group now, or later. LEAVE TEXTING BEHIND With direct messages, you can use all the features you love for group chat, but one-on-one. CHAT WHEREVER YOU ARE Including from your computer at groupme.com Stay in touch whether you’re separated by a hallway or a hemisphere. Get your group together. We want to hear your feedback! Support: https://aka.ms/groupmesupport Twitter: @GroupMeSupport Facebook: facebook.com/groupme Instagram: @GroupMe Love, Team GroupMe NOTE: SMS chat currently available in US only. Standard text messaging rates may apply. Privacy Policy: https://groupme.com/privacy Made with love in Seattle

About

Flare

This app streamlines group management by consolidating communication, event planning, and engagement tools. It offers features like group chats, event RSVPs, attendance tracking, photo albums, and payment collection, making it ideal for various organizations.

Highlights
  • Group chats and announcements
  • Event creation and attendance tracking
  • Photo albums and highlights
  • Polls and points system
  • Ticket sales and payment collection
  • File sharing and roster management
Features
Read full description

Flare is the ultimate app for groups. Flare keeps your group connected, organized, and engaged—all in one app. Whether you’re running a student organization, campus council, alumni network, or a national community, Flare makes communication effortless and events unforgettable. Why Flare? Tired of juggling endless group chats, scattered files, and disorganized calendars? Flare brings everything together: messages, events, attendance, photos, polls, points and more. With privacy controls and high‑quality features, it’s the smarter way to manage your community. Key Features & Benefits: ▶ Events & Attendance – Create and share events with details, RSVPs, and reminders. Track attendance with QR codes, passcodes, geolocation, or ticketing. ▶ Group Chats & Announcements – Keep everyone in the loop with customizable chats and a dedicated announcement wall. Optional message approval gives admins control when needed. ▶ Albums & Highlights – Upload high‑quality photos (up to 5000px), save your favorite photos, and share approved highlights. ▶ Engagement Tools – Polls, points system, birthday reminders, and alumni engagement. ▶ Payments Made Easy – Sell tickets or collect payments with Venmo integration. ▶ Seamless Organization – Share files, manage rosters, connect with alumni, and build lasting group connections. Built for Privacy & Control: - Protect your chats with screenshot blocking and admin notifications - Admin can delete messages and suspend members - Settings to approve messages, highlights, and membership requests. Join 500,000+ users already using Flare to simplify communication and boost engagement!

Screenshots

GroupMe4 screens
Flare4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Flare at 96% against GroupMe's 30%. Flare also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). GroupMe's advantage is ratings volume (1.6M vs 6.3K) and chart position (#7 vs #61). On price, ads 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

Both are free to download. GroupMe sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Flare asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flare holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GroupMe has 1.6M ratings behind it against 6.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of GroupMe's written reviews are positive against 96% of Flare's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GroupMe ships an update weekly, Flare every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 3, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
GroupMe versus Flare: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGroupMeFlare
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.6M ratings)4.9 (6.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.1% of reviews96.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.6M — better6.3K
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#7 — better#61
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size382 MB130 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSkype Communications S.a.r.lFlare App, Inc.

Customer experience

GroupMe

All ratings1,559,160 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.4%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews1,590 reviews
Positive30.1%
Neutral12.1%
Negative57.9%

Flare

All ratings6,329 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral0.9%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews433 reviews
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.1%

User reviews

GroupMe

From 1.6M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent group communication
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 🚀 Reliable
  • 👍 Versatile for various use cases

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Syncing and loading issues
  • 🐛 Notification problems
  • 🐛 Bugs with media uploads
  • 🐛 Laggy performance

Flare

From 6.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient communication
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 👍 Organized and user-friendly
  • 🎨 Great features like photo albums and calendars
  • 💪 Comprehensive for large groups

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional technical issues with notifications and loading
  • 🔒 Strict privacy settings can be limiting
  • 💻 Lack of desktop/web version

Bugs and requests

GroupMe

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to log in or account issues
  • Problems with adding/removing group members
  • Disappearing messages and chat history
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to delete/edit messages
  • Announcement mode for admins
  • Pinned messages
  • Improved group management features
  • Better cross-device/platform sync

Flare

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Notifications not always working properly
  • Difficulty removing screenshots and photos

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to remove albums and events
  • More customization options for admins
  • Integration with personal calendars

In-app purchases

10 purchases

GroupMe

One-time10
  • Most Wanted Emoji Pack$0.99
  • Michigan Wolverines Emoji Pack$0.99
  • Wisconsin Badgers Emoji Pack$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Florida Gators Emoji Pack$0.99
  • March Madness Emoji Pack$0.99
  • Most Wanted 2 Emoji Pack$0.99
  • University of Alabama Emoji Pack$1.99
  • University of Texas Emoji Pack$1.99
  • Adventure Time$1.99
  • University of Notre Dame Emoji$1.99
None

Flare

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GroupMe free?
GroupMe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flare free?
Flare is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GroupMe or Flare?
Flare is rated higher. GroupMe averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6M ratings, while Flare averages 4.9 from 6.3K ratings.
Do GroupMe or Flare have ads?
Neither GroupMe nor Flare shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GroupMe or Flare?
GroupMe ships an update weekly, and Flare every 2 days. Most recently, GroupMe was updated on October 3, 2026 and Flare on October 3, 2026.
Which is more popular, GroupMe or Flare?
GroupMe currently peaks at #7 in the App Store charts, and Flare at #61. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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