# Messenger vs GHHM Alumni Network

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GHHM Alumni Network at none against Messenger's 10. GHHM Alumni Network also leads on ads (none vs shown). Messenger's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Messenger sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. GHHM Alumni Network asks for nothing beyond the download.

Messenger ships an update weekly, GHHM Alumni Network every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | GHHM Alumni Network |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 281 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Toucan Tech](https://appshunter.io/developer/1487516191) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Social Networking, #117 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


### GHHM Alumni Network

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghhm-alumni-network/id6746166463)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is GHHM Alumni Network free?

GHHM Alumni Network is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Messenger or GHHM Alumni Network have ads?

Messenger shows ads; GHHM Alumni Network does not.

### Which is updated more often, Messenger or GHHM Alumni Network?

Messenger ships an update weekly, and GHHM Alumni Network every 3 weeks. Most recently, Messenger was updated on October 20, 2026 and GHHM Alumni Network on October 10, 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.*