# #Away vs Away Message

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.

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.

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.

#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.

## The numbers

| Metric | #Away | Away Message |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/away/id6742257457/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/away-message-status-sharing/id6757088514/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 24 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.1** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Gomeo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708590646) | [Colin Weir](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819364334) |

## What reviewers say

### #Away

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/away/id6742257457)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Away Premium | $7.99 | per month |


### Away Message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/away-message-status-sharing/id6757088514)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


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