# Snapchat vs Parallel Camera

The clearest difference is rating: Snapchat at 4.5 against Parallel Camera's 4.0. Snapchat also leads on ratings volume (5.9M vs 7) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Snapchat sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Parallel Camera sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Snapchat holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Snapchat has 5.9M ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Snapchat's written reviews are positive against 33% of Parallel Camera'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, Parallel Camera fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Snapchat | Parallel Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (5.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapchat/id447188370/reviews)** | [4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parallel-camera/id1671561611/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.9M** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 30.3% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 399 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Snap, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/446889612) | [Irina Scelcunova](https://appshunter.io/developer/1737748446) |

## What reviewers say

### Snapchat

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

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #6 Top Free · Photo & Video, #6 Top Grossing, #56 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


### Parallel Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parallel-camera/id1671561611)

Record videos and take photos simultaneously using your device's front and rear cameras. Choose from various split-screen or picture-in-picture layouts, customize borders, and select resolutions up to 4K.

**Highlights:** Dual camera photo and video recording, Split-screen and picture-in-picture views, Customizable border colors and shapes, Selectable resolutions (720p, 1080p, 4K), Adjustable frame rates (24, 30, 60 fps), Front screen flash and regular flash control, Grid overlay for precise framing

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GoSelfie premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| GoSelfie 3 months premium | $9.99 | per 3 months |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Snapchat free?

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

### Is Parallel Camera free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Snapchat or Parallel Camera?

Snapchat is rated higher. Snapchat averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.9M ratings, while Parallel Camera averages 4.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Snapchat or Parallel Camera have ads?

Both Snapchat and Parallel Camera show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Snapchat or Parallel Camera?

Snapchat ships an update every 6 days, and Parallel Camera fortnightly. Most recently, Snapchat was updated on September 24, 2026 and Parallel Camera on September 21, 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.*