Comparison

#Away vs Away Message

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

Head to head
About

#Away

Share your status with friends by displaying custom messages on their lock screens. Stay connected without constant texting, perfect for indicating when you're busy or need space. Reduce screen time and focus on real-life interactions.

Highlights
  • Customizable lock screen messages
  • Automatic status updates for friends
  • No app opening required to view
  • Reduces constant texting
  • Promotes less screen time
Read full description

Away puts your custom message on your best friends' lock screens. Let friends know when you're busy, traveling, or just need space—without the constant "where are you?" texts. Set your away message once, and everyone sees it on their own lock screen. No app opening required. Perfect for staying connected without staying glued to your phone. Less screen time, more real life. NOTES: Away includes an optional premium subscription. This is offered on a monthly basis. If you choose to purchase a subscription, your payment will be charged to your iTunes account. Subscriptions will automatically renew unless canceled within 24 hours before the end of the current period. After purchase, you can turn off auto-renewal at any time by going to your Account Settings in the App Store. LEARN MORE: Privacy Policy: https://away.now/privacy Terms of Use: https://away.now/terms

About

Away Message

Share your current activity or availability with friends through temporary digital notes. Add locations, photos, or music to your updates, which automatically disappear after a set time. Connect privately with a unique code to keep your circle informed.

Highlights
  • Expiring status updates (30 min - 24 hours)
  • Customizable themes, fonts, and layouts
  • Location, photo, and music sharing
  • Private connections via shareable codes
  • Scrapbook-style note design
  • Emoji reactions on status cards
Read full description

Away Message is a status app that lets you tell friends where you are, what you’re doing, or when you’ll be back. It’s meant for quick, low-effort updates that keep people in the loop without turning into full conversations. If you’re stepping out for coffee, going out for the night, or focusing on work, you can post a short note so your friends have context. You can attach a location, a photo, or a song you’re listening to. There are no likes, comments, or feeds to manage. The point is simply to share what’s going on. Each status lasts from 30 minutes to 24 hours and then disappears. You can change the look of your updates with different fonts, colors, themes, and layouts. You can also add photos, drop a pin, or share music from Apple Music. Friends can drop an emoji on your status cards. People connect through simple 6-character codes. You approve who joins your circle and control who can see your updates. Features: • Statuses that expire after 30 minutes to 24 hours • Custom fonts, colors, themes, and layouts • Photos, locations, and Apple Music sharing • Scrapbook-style design for your notes • Private connections using shareable codes • No ads or algorithmic feeds Away Message is for friends, coworkers, and small groups who want to stay aware of each other’s day without constantly messaging. You leave a note, and people see it when they check. Sometimes a quick “brb” really is all that’s needed.

Screenshots

#Away4 screens
Away Message4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Away Message at none against #Away's 1. Away Message also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). #Away's advantage is iOS requirement (18.1 vs 26.0). 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. #Away sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Away Message asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for #Away against 5.0 for Away Message. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Away Message has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

#Away ships an update every 2 weeks, Away Message every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
#Away versus Away Message: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter#AwayAway Message
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB43 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperGomeo Inc.Colin Weir

Customer experience

#Away

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Away Message

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

#Away

Subscriptions1
  • Away Premium$7.991 Month
None

Away Message

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is #Away free?
#Away is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Away Message free?
Away Message is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, #Away or Away Message?
#Away and Away Message are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do #Away or Away Message have ads?
Neither #Away nor Away Message shows ads.
Which is updated more often, #Away or Away Message?
#Away ships an update every 2 weeks, and Away Message every 8 days. Most recently, #Away was updated on October 24, 2026 and Away Message on October 15, 2026.

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