# GroupMe vs Messenger

GroupMe and Messenger both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 66% of Messenger's written reviews are positive against 30% of GroupMe's. Messenger also leads on ratings volume (14M vs 1.6M). GroupMe's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GroupMe sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Messenger sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for GroupMe against 4.7 for Messenger. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 1.6M, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 30% of GroupMe's written reviews are positive against 66% of Messenger's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | GroupMe | Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupme/id392796698/reviews) | [4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.6M | **14M** |
| Positive reviews | 30.1% of reviews | **66.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #8 | **#7** |
| Size | 379 MB | 255 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Skype Communications S.a.r.l](https://appshunter.io/developer/304219585) | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) |

## What reviewers say

### GroupMe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupme/id392796698)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Social Networking, #105 Top Free (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Most Wanted Emoji Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Michigan Wolverines Emoji Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Wisconsin Badgers Emoji Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Florida Gators Emoji Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| March Madness Emoji Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Most Wanted 2 Emoji Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| University of Alabama Emoji Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| University of Texas Emoji Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Adventure Time | $1.99 | one-time |
| University of Notre Dame Emoji | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

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


### Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Social Networking, #98 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect with friends and family through text, audio, and video calls. Share photos, videos, and large files, and express yourself with custom themes and animated content. Features an AI assistant for help and support.

**Highlights:** Text, audio, and video calls, High-definition photo sharing, Shared photo albums, QR code connections, Large file sharing (up to 100MB), Edit and unsend messages, Disappearing messages, AI assistant

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Avatar Item | $0.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $1.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $2.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $3.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $4.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $6.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $7.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $8.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $9.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Useful for staying connected with friends and family
- 🗣️ Enables easy communication through text, voice, and video
- 💬 Convenient group chat features
- 🌐 Works across multiple devices and platforms

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
- 🔄 Unnecessary updates that remove useful features
- 📤 Issues with message delivery and notifications
- 🗂️ Cluttered interface and poor organization of chats

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to log in or access account
- Messages failing to send or receive
- Unexpected app crashes and freezes
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Add option to delete or unsend messages
- Improve search functionality for chat history
- Introduce customizable notification settings
- Bring back old features like emoji reactions and location sharing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GroupMe free?

GroupMe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Messenger free?

Messenger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, GroupMe or Messenger?

GroupMe and Messenger are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.6M and 14M ratings respectively.

### Do GroupMe or Messenger have ads?

Messenger shows ads; GroupMe does not.

### Which is updated more often, GroupMe or Messenger?

GroupMe ships an update weekly, and Messenger weekly. Most recently, GroupMe was updated on September 25, 2026 and Messenger on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, GroupMe or Messenger?

GroupMe currently peaks at #8 in the App Store charts, and Messenger at #7. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*