# Gmail vs ChatInbox

The clearest difference is ads: ChatInbox at none against Gmail's shown. ChatInbox also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 30%). Gmail's advantage is ratings volume (2.5M vs 33) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ChatInbox sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Gmail holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gmail has 2.5M ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Gmail's written reviews are positive against 61% of ChatInbox's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Gmail ships an update weekly, ChatInbox every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gmail | ChatInbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480/reviews)** | [4.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatinbox-email-by-sender/id6462772788/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.5M** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | **61.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 707 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Innovatism LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/955315491) |

## What reviewers say

### Gmail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Productivity, #5 Top Free · Productivity, #19 Top Free, #19 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Manage your emails efficiently with intelligent AI features, robust security, and real-time notifications. This app offers multiple account support, smart search, and tools to declutter your inbox and stay organized.

**Highlights:** AI-powered email summarization and response drafting, Intelligent search across all mail, Automatic spam, phishing, and malware blocking, Multiple email account support, Email subscription management, Integration with Google Meet and Chat

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email management
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 😊 Positive user experience overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💡 Lacking advanced features
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working properly
- Emails disappearing from inbox
- Inability to remove accounts
- Conversation view issues

**Requested features**

- Swipe to delete/snooze emails
- Ability to mark all emails as read
- Customizable notification settings
- Improved file attachment functionality


### ChatInbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatinbox-email-by-sender/id6462772788)

This app reimagines your email by organizing it around people, not dates. View all conversations with a contact in a chat-style format, making it easy to find past messages and attachments. It supports multiple email accounts and devices, offering a streamlined inbox experience.

**Highlights:** Contact-centered inbox, All accounts in one inbox, Smart contact grouping, Attachments by person, Calendar view, Email reminders

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gmail free?

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

### Is ChatInbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Gmail or ChatInbox?

Gmail is rated higher. Gmail averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.5M ratings, while ChatInbox averages 4.5 from 33 ratings.

### Do Gmail or ChatInbox have ads?

Gmail shows ads; ChatInbox does not.

### Which is updated more often, Gmail or ChatInbox?

Gmail ships an update weekly, and ChatInbox every 5 days. Most recently, Gmail was updated on November 7, 2026 and ChatInbox on November 3, 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.*