# BAND vs Flare

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.

Both are free to download. BAND sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Flare asks for nothing beyond the download.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | BAND | Flare |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (73K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/band-app-for-all-groups/id542613198/reviews) | **[4.9 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flare-for-groups/id1086013687/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **73K** | 6.9K |
| Positive reviews | 69.0% of reviews | **96.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#28** | #83 |
| Size | 346 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NAVER Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/311867731) | [Flare App, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1641431506) |

## What reviewers say

### BAND

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/band-app-for-all-groups/id542613198)

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Give thanks with flower (English) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ma Tough Bro(English) | $1.99 | one-time |
| The dog(English) | $1.99 | one-time |
| EXO’s 3.6.5 Days | $1.99 | one-time |
| Yoha | $1.99 | one-time |
| AD FREE - 30days | $1.99 | one-time |
| Super v Hero | $1.99 | one-time |
| Band Sticker | $1.99 | one-time |
| 100GB Storage (6 months) | $16.99 | one-time |
| 100GB Storage (1 year) | $33.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flare-for-groups/id1086013687)

**Currently charting:** #83 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not always working properly
- Difficulty removing screenshots and photos

**Requested features**

- Ability to remove albums and events
- More customization options for admins
- Integration with personal calendars


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*