# Snapchat vs ArtPlay

The clearest difference is ads: ArtPlay at none against Snapchat's shown. ArtPlay also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Snapchat's advantage is ratings volume (5.9M vs 55) and update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Snapchat sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ArtPlay sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ArtPlay holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Snapchat has 5.9M ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Snapchat's written reviews are positive against 25% of ArtPlay's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Snapchat ships an update every 6 days, ArtPlay monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Snapchat | ArtPlay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapchat/id447188370/reviews) | **[4.8 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artplay-video-editor/id1580716813/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.9M** | 55 |
| Positive reviews | **30.3% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 399 MB | 268 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Snap, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/446889612) | [High Mountain Electronic Commerce Development Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580716815) |

## What reviewers say

### Snapchat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapchat/id447188370)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #6 Top Grossing, #7 Top Free · Photo & Video, #71 Top Free (US App Store)

Instantly share photos and videos with friends and family. Express yourself with creative tools, connect through live messaging and video calls, and discover content from the community. Save your favorite moments and explore shared memories.

**Highlights:** Camera with Lenses and Filters, Live Messaging and Video Chat, Friend and Group Stories, Spotlight for user-created content, Location Sharing Map, Memories for saving photos/videos, Friendship Profiles

**Features:** Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Memories Storage | $1.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Monthly Plan) | $3.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Monthly Plan) | $4.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Monthly Plan) | $4.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Annual Plan) | $29.99 | per year |
| Snapchat+ (12-Month Plan) | $39.99 | per year |
| Snapstreak Restore | $0.49 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $0.99 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $1.49 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $2.99 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $3.99 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💬 Great way to communicate with friends
- 📷 Convenient for sharing photos and videos
- 🤳 Fun filters and customization options
- 🔒 Secure messaging with disappearing content
- 🗺️ Useful location-based features like Snap Map

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Forced AI assistant that can't be removed
- 🤢 Dislike for new 3D bitmoji design
- 🕰️ Frustration over Snapchat+ paywall for basic features
- 🔇 Inability to disable shutter sound
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Accounts being permanently locked for unclear reasons
- Inability to create new accounts on banned devices
- Disappearing Memories and lack of data retrieval
- Inconsistent video upload and playback issues
- Notifications and chat features not working properly

**Requested features**

- Allow permanent deletion of Memories
- Add multi-video upload to Stories
- Improve customer support and account recovery
- Provide option to disable AI assistant
- Bring back 2D bitmoji customization


### ArtPlay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artplay-video-editor/id1580716813)

Transform your photos and videos into animated 3D cartoons or nostalgic childhood memories. Easily create GIFs from various media formats and use pre-designed templates with background music to make stunning videos with just a few taps.

**Highlights:** 3D cartoon character creation, Nostalgic childhood photo effects, One-tap photo to video conversion, GIF creation from photos and videos, Video templates with background music, Automatic photo selection for videos

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ArtPlay Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| ArtPlay Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| ArtPlay Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| ArtPlay Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| ArtPlay Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| ArtPlay Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Snapchat free?

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

### Is ArtPlay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Snapchat or ArtPlay?

ArtPlay is rated higher. Snapchat averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.9M ratings, while ArtPlay averages 4.8 from 55 ratings.

### Do Snapchat or ArtPlay have ads?

Snapchat shows ads; ArtPlay does not.

### Which is updated more often, Snapchat or ArtPlay?

Snapchat ships an update every 6 days, and ArtPlay monthly. Most recently, Snapchat was updated on September 28, 2026 and ArtPlay on September 24, 2026.

---

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