# Paltalk vs SchoolPlug

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SchoolPlug at none against Paltalk's 10. SchoolPlug also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paltalk sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. SchoolPlug asks for nothing beyond the download.

Paltalk ships an update fortnightly, SchoolPlug weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paltalk | SchoolPlug |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paltalk-live-chat-rooms/id466970942/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 290 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +17 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Paltalk US LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1805155941) | [Netcraft Global Concerns Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/6801532096) |

## What reviewers say

### Paltalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paltalk-live-chat-rooms/id466970942)

Engage in live, topic-based group conversations using video, voice, or text. Join thousands of active rooms organized around shared interests, or create your own. The platform prioritizes community experience with moderation and safety tools.

**Highlights:** Live group chat rooms, Video, voice, and text communication, Interest-based communities, Create your own rooms, Real-time moderation tools, Virtual gifts and recognition, Cross-platform access

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extreme Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Extreme Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| VIP Monthly | $21.99 | per month |
| Prime Monthly | $54.99 | per month |
| Pack of 15 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 50 Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 100 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 500 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 1500 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 3500 Credits | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun upgrade from Yahoo model
- 👍 Great app for chatting
- 🚀 Interesting with different types of people
- 👍 Unique opportunity to meet people

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant connection issues and dropouts
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🤬 Overrun with trolls and hackers
- 🤬 Rooms inciting hatred and division
- 🤬 Abusive and immature users

**Reported bugs**

- Camera issues after iOS updates
- Audio cutting out frequently
- Conversation history disappearing
- Inability to delete messages or conversations
- Rooms freezing and crashing the app

**Requested features**

- Allow admins to manage rooms from mobile
- Add iPad-optimized layout
- Improve audio/video quality and stability
- Implement better user blocking/muting tools
- Provide more customization options


### SchoolPlug

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/schoolplug/id6801532094)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paltalk free?

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

### Is SchoolPlug free?

SchoolPlug is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Paltalk or SchoolPlug have ads?

Paltalk shows ads; SchoolPlug does not.

### Which is updated more often, Paltalk or SchoolPlug?

Paltalk ships an update fortnightly, and SchoolPlug weekly. Most recently, Paltalk was updated on November 12, 2026 and SchoolPlug on October 31, 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.*