# Cluster vs Marco Polo

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Marco Polo at 2.2M against Cluster's 22K. Marco Polo also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#14 vs unranked). Cluster's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cluster sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Marco Polo sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Cluster against 4.8 for Marco Polo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Marco Polo has 2.2M ratings behind it against 22K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 56% of Cluster's written reviews are positive against 65% of Marco Polo's.

Cluster ships an update every 3 weeks, Marco Polo weekly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cluster | Marco Polo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluster/id596595032/reviews)** | [4.8 (2.2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marco-polo-video-messenger/id912561374/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 22K | **2.2M** |
| Positive reviews | 56.4% of reviews | **65.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#14** |
| Size | 37 MB | 223 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Cluster Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/596595035) | [Joya Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/530046419) |

## What reviewers say

### Cluster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluster/id596595032)

Create private groups to share photos and videos with specific people. Ideal for families, friends, or colleagues to share moments securely without broadcasting to a wider audience. Access your shared memories across mobile devices and the web.

**Highlights:** Create private sharing groups, Share photos and videos, Invite specific members, Web and mobile access, Relevant notifications, Secure and private sharing

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cluster Friend | $4.99 | per month |
| Cluster Family | $9.99 | per month |
| Cluster Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Cluster Friend | $49.99 | per year |
| Cluster Family | $99.99 | per year |
| Cluster Pro | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Great for sharing photos and videos
- 🔒 Allows private sharing with selected groups
- 💡 Helpful for keeping family connected
- 👍 Simple and effective interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Issues with photo/video uploads
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
- 🔍 Lack of search and organization features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Photos and videos fail to upload consistently
- Notification issues - not receiving updates
- Compatibility problems with newer Android devices
- Unexpected errors when trying to access accounts

**Requested features**

- Add ability to edit/delete posts
- Improve photo/video upload reliability
- Implement better notification system
- Add option to create galleries/albums within groups
- Enhance search and filtering capabilities


### Marco Polo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marco-polo-video-messenger/id912561374)

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #108 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

This app offers private, ad-free video messaging for one-on-one or group conversations. It focuses on genuine connection without social media pressures, allowing users to communicate on their own schedule.

**Highlights:** Private, ad-free video chat, Asynchronous video messaging, One-on-one and group chats, Emoji reactions and special effects, Sharecast feature, Background listening (Plus), Speed control (Plus)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marco Polo - Unlimited Storage | $7.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus - Family Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus – Family Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo - Unlimited Storage | $47.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus – Family Plan | $159.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus – Family Plan | $159.99 | per year |
| Plus Guest Pass | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for long-distance communication
- 🚀 Convenient video messaging
- 💡 Allows asynchronous communication
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Helps maintain relationships

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Video and audio quality issues
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High data usage
- 🔒 Removing previously free features

**Reported bugs**

- Videos stopping or going black during playback
- Issues with marking messages as unwatched
- Inconsistent behavior after app updates
- Forced upgrade to paid version without warning

**Requested features**

- Add text messaging capabilities
- Improve video/audio quality
- Bring back previously free features
- Add option to save/download videos
- Improve navigation and playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cluster free?

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

### Is Marco Polo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cluster or Marco Polo?

Cluster is rated higher. Cluster averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Marco Polo averages 4.8 from 2.2M ratings.

### Do Cluster or Marco Polo have ads?

Neither Cluster nor Marco Polo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cluster or Marco Polo?

Cluster ships an update every 3 weeks, and Marco Polo weekly. Most recently, Cluster was updated on November 3, 2026 and Marco Polo on November 3, 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.*