Comparison

BAND vs Flare

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

Head to head
About

BAND

This app helps groups of all kinds stay connected and organized. It offers features for communication, event planning, photo sharing, and task management to keep everyone in sync.

Highlights
  • Group communication and announcements
  • Event scheduling and reminders
  • Photo and video sharing
  • Real-time connection with comments and live streaming
  • Group polls and to-do lists
  • Task management and group challenges
Features
Read full description

Organize your group on BAND! From families and friends to schools and teams, no matter who you gather with, BAND makes it easy to connect and stay together. ◆ Stay in the Loop with Your Group -See new posts from your groups right on your Home tab. -Get instant push alerts for new announcements, schedules, or posts so you can jump in fast. -Receive instant notifications for new posts -Choose which groups you’d like to get alerts from ◆All Your Events at a Glance -View and create events quickly right from your Home tab. -Stay ahead with upcoming schedule reminders. -Share schedules easily through your group calendar. -Track birthdays and special occasions so your group never misses a moment. ◆Keep Every Memory Together -Upload photos and videos to safely store your special moments. -Organize albums by trips, events, and more! -Revisit your favorite memories anytime, and relive them with your group. ◆Stay Closer with Real-Time Connection -Express yourself with Comments and Shouts. -Even the smallest reactions strengthen bonds and encouragement between members. -Go Live to connect in real time — no matter the distance. ◆Essential Tools for Every Group -Use group polls to reach a decision. -Manage tasks efficiently with To-Do Lists. -Accomplish goals through Group Challenges. -Explore more ways to use BAND in the BAND Guide! From weekly meetups to your big day, BAND keeps your group connected every step of the way. Connect anytime, anywhere, on any device including your desktop. Questions or issues? Please contact the BAND Help Center: https://www.band.us/cs/help *Required Permissions [Camera] To take photos and upload them to posts, chats, or your profile, use the Group Video Call feature, and scan QR codes to check invites [Microphone] To record voice memos and use the Group Call feature [Photos] To attach photos or videos to posts or your profile, and to download QR Code invites [Contacts] To save contact information of Band members and invite friends from your phone contacts. [Location] To share your location in your Band's description/post/event or with other Band members. [Calendar] To save Band events to your iOS Calendar [Face ID] To unlock the BAND app using Face ID Developer Contact: NAVER Corporation Address: 95, Jeongjail-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13561, Republic of Korea Business Registration No. 220-81-62517 Online Marketing Report No. 2006-Seongnam Gyeonggi-0692

About

Flare

This app streamlines group management by consolidating communication, event planning, and engagement tools. It offers features like group chats, event RSVPs, attendance tracking, photo albums, and payment collection, making it ideal for various organizations.

Highlights
  • Group chats and announcements
  • Event creation and attendance tracking
  • Photo albums and highlights
  • Polls and points system
  • Ticket sales and payment collection
  • File sharing and roster management
Features
Read full description

Flare is the ultimate app for groups. Flare keeps your group connected, organized, and engaged—all in one app. Whether you’re running a student organization, campus council, alumni network, or a national community, Flare makes communication effortless and events unforgettable. Why Flare? Tired of juggling endless group chats, scattered files, and disorganized calendars? Flare brings everything together: messages, events, attendance, photos, polls, points and more. With privacy controls and high‑quality features, it’s the smarter way to manage your community. Key Features & Benefits: ▶ Events & Attendance – Create and share events with details, RSVPs, and reminders. Track attendance with QR codes, passcodes, geolocation, or ticketing. ▶ Group Chats & Announcements – Keep everyone in the loop with customizable chats and a dedicated announcement wall. Optional message approval gives admins control when needed. ▶ Albums & Highlights – Upload high‑quality photos (up to 5000px), save your favorite photos, and share approved highlights. ▶ Engagement Tools – Polls, points system, birthday reminders, and alumni engagement. ▶ Payments Made Easy – Sell tickets or collect payments with Venmo integration. ▶ Seamless Organization – Share files, manage rosters, connect with alumni, and build lasting group connections. Built for Privacy & Control: - Protect your chats with screenshot blocking and admin notifications - Admin can delete messages and suspend members - Settings to approve messages, highlights, and membership requests. Join 500,000+ users already using Flare to simplify communication and boost engagement!

Screenshots

BAND4 screens
Flare4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flare at none against BAND's 10. Flare also leads on review sentiment (97% vs 69%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). BAND's advantage is ratings volume (73K vs 6.9K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. BAND sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Flare asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for BAND against 4.9 for Flare. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BAND has 73K ratings behind it against 6.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of BAND's written reviews are positive against 97% of Flare's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BAND ships an update weekly, Flare every 4 days. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
BAND versus Flare: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBANDFlare
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (73K ratings)4.9 (6.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews96.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings73K — better6.9K
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#28 — better#83
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size346 MB131 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperNAVER Corp.Flare App, Inc.

Customer experience

BAND

All ratings71,744 ratings
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.0%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews1,359 reviews
Positive69.0%
Neutral9.2%
Negative21.8%

Flare

All ratings6,851 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral0.9%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews547 reviews
Positive96.9%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.6%

User reviews

BAND

From 73K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for organizing groups
  • 💡 Useful features like calendar, polls, and file sharing
  • 👍 Helpful for communication and staying connected
  • 🔒 Controlled data and private groups

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Confusing navigation and UI
  • 💤 Slow video/content loading
  • 🔔 Too many unnecessary notifications
  • 🙅‍♀️ Restrictive age requirements

Flare

From 6.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient communication
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 👍 Organized and user-friendly
  • 🎨 Great features like photo albums and calendars
  • 💪 Comprehensive for large groups

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional technical issues with notifications and loading
  • 🔒 Strict privacy settings can be limiting
  • 💻 Lack of desktop/web version

Bugs and requests

BAND

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to change account settings/profile info
  • Notifications not working as expected
  • Repeated 'temporary error' messages
  • Incompatibility issues with certain devices/OS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to edit/delete messages
  • Improve calendar functionality and integration
  • Implement dark mode option
  • Allow customizable notification settings
  • Provide better support and responsiveness

Flare

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Notifications not always working properly
  • Difficulty removing screenshots and photos

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to remove albums and events
  • More customization options for admins
  • Integration with personal calendars

In-app purchases

10 purchases

BAND

One-time10
  • Give thanks with flower (English)$1.99
  • Ma Tough Bro(English)$1.99
  • The dog(English)$1.99
Show 7 more
  • EXO’s 3.6.5 Days$1.99
  • Yoha$1.99
  • AD FREE - 30days$1.99
  • Super v Hero$1.99
  • Band Sticker$1.99
  • 100GB Storage (6 months)$16.99
  • 100GB Storage (1 year)$33.99
None

Flare

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BAND free?
BAND is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flare free?
Flare is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BAND or Flare?
Flare is rated higher. BAND averages 4.7 out of 5 from 73K ratings, while Flare averages 4.9 from 6.9K ratings.
Do BAND or Flare have ads?
Neither BAND nor Flare shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BAND or Flare?
BAND ships an update weekly, and Flare every 4 days. Most recently, BAND was updated on November 1, 2026 and Flare on November 1, 2026.
Which is more popular, BAND or Flare?
BAND currently peaks at #28 in the App Store charts, and Flare at #83. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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