# SideCast vs danmaku

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: danmaku at none against SideCast's 2. danmaku also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). SideCast's advantage is ratings volume (208 vs 1). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SideCast sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. danmaku asks for nothing beyond the download.

danmaku holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SideCast has 208 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideCast | danmaku |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (208 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidecast/id608426917/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/danmaku/id1528914974/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **208** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 92.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | — |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 156 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alerion Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1674500626) | [jietao wu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1490055419) |

## What reviewers say

### SideCast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidecast/id608426917)

Easily enlarge typed messages on your device screen for clear, silent communication from a distance. Use text or emojis to convey your message, then rotate your device to share it with anyone nearby. Perfect for loud environments or private conversations.

**Highlights:** Create instant signs and billboards, Enlarge typed messages, Use text and emojis, Rotate device for display, Silent and private communication, Voice-to-text support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SideCast upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective communication
- 💡 Useful for various noisy environments
- 🚀 Fast and snappier UX (recent updates)
- 👍 Easy to use and understand
- 💡 Great for communicating when unable to speak

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Freezes too often
- 🐛 Does not rotate reliably
- 🐛 Pages run into each other
- 🐛 Timed out forcing upgrade
- 🐛 Not compatible with older iOS versions (historically)

**Reported bugs**

- Freezes too often
- Side cast does not rotate more often than not
- When it does rotate, the pages run into each other
- Doesn’t work with iOS 16 (prior to recent update)
- Timed out - forced to upgrade (specific instance)

**Requested features**

- Allow selection of text and background colors
- Remove time limit (mentioned once)


### danmaku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/danmaku/id1528914974)

Create a dynamic LED banner for your device. Customize text, styles, and colors to display messages in a running marquee format. Perfect for events, announcements, or just for fun.

**Highlights:** Customizable LED banner, Different text styles, Adjustable colors, Running marquee display, Supports iPhone, iPad, iPod

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideCast free?

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

### Is danmaku free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SideCast or danmaku?

danmaku is rated higher. SideCast averages 4.6 out of 5 from 208 ratings, while danmaku averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do SideCast or danmaku have ads?

SideCast shows ads; danmaku does not.

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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.*