Mumble vs BrightChat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mumble
This application offers high-quality, low-latency group voice chat for mobile devices. Connect to public or self-hosted servers to communicate with friends and other users globally. Enjoy features like push-to-talk, voice activation, and secure, encrypted connections.
- High quality, low latency voice chat
- Access to thousands of public servers
- SSL/TLS encryption
- Push-to-Talk and Voice Activated modes
- Text messaging
- Echo cancellation
- Bluetooth headset support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Mumble - High quality, low latency voice chat Mumble is a free group voice chat application. It allows you to talk to your friends on the go, and has finally arrived on the iOS platform. Simply find a public server and join it to chat with your friends! Mumble requires a connection to a server to function. Servers can be rented from commercial hosting companies. The Mumble server software is also available free-of-charge under and open source license, so individuals are free to create their own servers, without limitations. See https://www.mumble.info for more information regarding Mumble servers. Mumble provides the following features: • High quality, low latency voice chats via WiFi or 3G using state of the art codecs • Access to thousands of public servers -- free for you to use when chatting with friends • Ability to chat with hundreds of thousands of regular users of Mumble around the world • An easily accessible list of all of your favorite servers • Connect to and list available Mumble servers on the local network • SSL/TLS encryption of connections to remote servers; voice data encrypted using OCB2-AES128 • Strong and flexible authentication with remote servers using either passwords or X.509 certificates • Advanced audio configuration, allowing users to configure the quality and bandwidth requirements of their transmitted audio (perfect for 3G connections with slow upload) • Push-to-Talk and Voice Activated audio transmission modes (for hands-free operation) • Flexible user-to-user and user-to-channel text messaging system for sharing links or images while talking • Basic user functionality on Mumble servers (server administration not possible) • Push-to-talk transmission mode. • Echo cancellation for the built-in microphone. • Bluetooth headset support. Mumble is open source software, developed collaboratively on the Internet. Mumble and its server software are available for free, for anyone to use. For more information about Mumble, please visit our website at http://www.mumbleapp.com.
BrightChat
This app provides secure and private communication through end-to-end encrypted messaging and calls. It offers features like scheduled and disappearing messages, as well as group chats for staying connected with loved ones.
- End-to-end encrypted messages
- Encrypted audio and video calls
- Schedule messages
- Disappearing messages
- Group chats
Read full descriptionHide full description
BrightChat is a free, simple, and trusted messenger that connects anyone anywhere. Secure calls and messages based on state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption technology. Privacy and security are the core of our values. Respect for your privacy and protection of your data are our top priority. Every private message and call is secured by end-to-end encryption so that no one, including us, can read your messages or listen to your conversations except yourself and the intended recipients. Main features: * Secure messages with end-to-end encryption End-to-end encrypted messaging to give you peace of mind about your data security. * Encrypted real-time audio and video calls Crystal-clear audio & video let you hear your friends or family as if they were right there with you. * Scheduling messages Compose your messages ahead of time and choose when they get sent. You can send messages in advance, like friend's birthdays, or even schedule to send messages at midnight so that your friends can receive them in the morning. * Disappearing messages Set a timer that automatically deletes your messages after a certain interval. * Group Chats Use group chats to stay connected with friends and family.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BrightChat at 4.6 against Mumble's 3.1. BrightChat also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (75% vs 65%). Mumble's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BrightChat holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 190 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Mumble's written reviews are positive against 75% of BrightChat's.
Mumble ships an update every 4 months, BrightChat every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mumble | BrightChat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (64 ratings) | 4.6 (190 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.9% of reviews | 75.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 64 | 190 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 98 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mikkel Krautz | ShenXun Inc |
Customer experience
Mumble
BrightChat
User reviews
Mumble
From 64 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Works flawlessly
- 🚀 Excellent iOS implementation
- 🚀 Intuitive controls
- 🚀 Functioning in background
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Audio issues (static, cutting out)
- 🔋 Heating up device
- 🔒 Lack of security features (no mute/kick/ban)
BrightChat
From 190 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🔒 Secure and private communication
- 👍 Easy to use and clean interface
- 🚀 Works smoothly for most users
- 💰 Free to use
- ✨ Gets better with updates
Room to improve
- 🐛 Unreliable message sending/receiving
- ⏳ Long delays in message delivery
- ❌ Cannot receive verification codes
- 🚫 No option to unblock users
- 🐛 Bugs in group chat tagging
Bugs and requests
Mumble
Reported bugs
4 issues- Incompatible with newer iOS versions
- Inability to connect to servers
- Freezing on login screen
- Disconnects when switching networks
Requested features
7 requests- Push-to-talk option
- Bluetooth headset support
- Noise cancellation
- Admin/moderation features
- iPad-optimized UI
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Ability to change username
- Whisper/shout functionality
BrightChat
Reported bugs
15 issues- Cannot receive verification codes (UK, +262)
- Long delays in sending or receiving messages
- Messages do not send or receive for long periods
- Cannot unblock users
- Delete user option not working
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Bug where @ tagging in group chats doesn't work on iPhone
- Impossible to add members after last update
- No landscape mode on iPad
- Unable to connect using mobile data since version 1.20.37
- Computer version login issues (password reset needed)
- Contact disappeared on computer version
- Words with 'pp' cannot be sent
- Notifications received but app doesn't open or show information
- All connections gone after upgrading
- Cannot log in on iPhone after latest update (no next step after password)
Requested features
13 requests- Add parental controls (contact restrictions, website blocking)
- Make secure internet app with parental controls
- Make double checkmarks more visible
- Add landscape mode for iPad
- Allow viewing messages and attachments in landscape mode
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Add zoom functionality for messages/attachments
- Implement a simple poll feature in group chats
- Create a 'note to self' section
- Add ability to draw in messages
- Add possibility to directly respond to messages
- Add night mode/different color themes
- Add password login option for computer version
- Allow editing sent text (contradicts other reviews)
In-app purchases
Mumble
No in-app purchases
BrightChat
No in-app purchases









