Comparison

XGate vs OneMessage

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

XGate

This app provides essential communication and data services for satellite phone users in remote locations. It optimizes email, web browsing, and social media, while also offering weather forecasts and integration with navigation tools.

Highlights
  • Optimized email service
  • Accelerated web browsing
  • Photo compression and sending
  • Social media posting
  • Point weather forecasts
  • GRIB file handling
  • Integration with navigation apps
Features
Read full description

XGate is a suite of email, weather and social media services for satellite phone users. XGate is simply the fastest, easiest and most reliable satellite phone email available, saving you time, money and frustration when using your satellite phone. XGate encompasses all the services a sailor, adventurer or other remote traveler needs including optimized email, web compression, social media, pinpoint weather forecasts, GRIB file handling via PredictWind Offshore, and a robust ecosystem of compatible apps including: Expedition and SailGRIB for navigation; WeatherTrack; Weather 4D; iNavX; and Xaxero GribPlot for weather. More about XGate can be found at http://www.globalmarinenet.com XGate’s seamless integration with the world’s leading navigation and weather apps makes it simple to download critical data from many apps all within the highly optimized XGate system. With features such as mid file restart for dropped transmissions and Big Mail filters to choose what is downloaded, XGate greatly eases frustration and adds significant airtime savings. XGate services include: • Accelerated Email – Email service offers up to 20 times acceleration versus uncompressed speeds, saving up to 85% on satellite airtime. Works with a dedicated email address or third-party services such as Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo! Mail or your corporate mail address. Or, use a dedicated XGate email address for maximum security and performance. • Accelerated Web Browsing – Compression uses a web proxy service to provide users with 3-5 times average web acceleration, while also blocking ads, checking for malicious sites and compressing images. • Send photo – Compresses, resizes and sends photos over satellite. 2MB iPhone photos can be compressed to usable 25Kb images. User selectable size and quality. • Social media – Users can post text and photos to Facebook and Twitter over satellite. • Point Weather– Local and global weather forecasts including temperature, pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation. • PredictWind Offshore – XGate includes the PredictWind Offshore app with GRIB weather file requestor and viewer. XGate also works with a wide range of other weather and navigation applications from leading providers. • Sailblogs – Users get free access to a Sailblogs Premium Basic account to help them share their adventures while travelling with their satphone. This App is available for FREE to XGate users meeting one of the following requirements. 1. Iridium AxcessPoint WiFi router, Redport Optimizer routers, Sattrans and Satstation docks, or the Globalstar GSP-9600 router. 2. One of the following devices and associated services - Inmarsat FleetBroadband - Inmarsat Isatphone - Inmarsat BGAN - Iridium Open Port - Iridium GO! - Iridium 9555 or 9575 - Iridium Legacy 9500, 9505, or 9505a - Iridium fixed phone based on 9522 such as the eurocom or beam rst100 - Aurora Iridium satellite terminal - MCG-101 Iridium satellite terminal - Thuraya and Thuraya IP - Globalstar 1600, 1700, 2900, Sat-Fi - VSAT service - Internet connection via WiFi 3. An XGate and/or XWeb username and password Standard network usage fees for airtime may apply when using this software. Please check with your satellite airtime provider for details. About Global Marine Networks, LLC Global Marine Networks (GMN), offers the industry’s fastest, most reliable and easy-to-use services including email, web, hardware and software. The company’s products include XGate high-speed satellite email, satellite terminals, airtime and vessel tracking systems. GMN has numerous awards and certifications for technical innovation. For more information on how GMN is Making Airtime Count™ visit http://www.globalmarinenet.com.

About

OneMessage

Send secure, reliable text messages over satellite or cellular connections, saving bandwidth and money. This app ensures private, person-to-person communication, even at sea, with a familiar interface for easy conversation tracking.

Highlights
  • Secure and reliable text messaging
  • Works over satellite (Iridium, Globalstar, Inmarsat) and Wi-Fi/cellular
  • Saves bandwidth, time, and money
  • Person-to-person private messaging
  • Message queuing for cost-effective sending
  • Threaded conversations
Features
Read full description

Text Messaging – On Land or At Sea with OCENS OneMessage With OCENS OneMessage text messaging, you can easily maintain secure, reliable contact with your friends, family, or fleet while saving time, bandwidth, and money. OneMessage enables two-way, private and personal text messaging over your Wi-Fi connection through the Iridium GO! or other Iridium, Globalstar, Inmarsat satellite phones, or through a conventional cellular or Wi-Fi connection. OneMessage is person-to-person, not person-to-machine like other satellite messaging services. OneMessage ensures that texts reach only their intended recipient no matter how many devices are connected to the Wi-Fi, whether on land or at sea. Once you hit send, you can rest assured that your contacts will receive your text. Inbound messages are available for download when you connect to your sat phone, no matter where you are. Streamlined, Simple Onboard Communication Queue your messages using the OneMessage app, and then switch on your sat phone and send in seconds to save costs and minimize bandwidth usage. While you’re connected, OneMessage automatically receives any messages waiting for you on the network. Your messages appear threaded within OneMessage, just like you’d expect so that you can easily keep track of each conversation. Eliminate International Texting Fees for Good Iridium is treated as a foreign country by all cellular carriers. These carriers can charge US$15 per month or US$0.50 per message, and sometimes even apply overage rates when sending SMS messages to an Iridium phone. OneMessage users do NOT need to activate international texting service on their smartphone to send texts. With OneMessage, you get the maximum value from your satellite phone connection economically, while using an interface that feels intuitive and familiar to keep in touch no matter where you travel. Please review our Privacy Policy at http://www.ocens.com/Privacy-Policy.aspx and Terms of Use at http://downloads.ocens.com/terms-of-use.htm.

Screenshots

XGate4 screens
OneMessage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: OneMessage at 5.0 against XGate's 2.8. XGate's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OneMessage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

XGate ships an update every 2 months, OneMessage every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
XGate versus OneMessage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterXGateOneMessage
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (4 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGlobal Marine Networks, LLCOCENS, Inc.

Customer experience

XGate

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

OneMessage

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

XGate

No in-app purchases

None

OneMessage

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is XGate free?
XGate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OneMessage free?
OneMessage is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, XGate or OneMessage?
OneMessage is rated higher. XGate averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while OneMessage averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do XGate or OneMessage have ads?
Neither XGate nor OneMessage shows ads.
Which is updated more often, XGate or OneMessage?
XGate ships an update every 2 months, and OneMessage every 4 months. Most recently, XGate was updated on June 2, 2026 and OneMessage on June 1, 2026.

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