Comparison

Grain Social vs Between

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

Head to head
About

Grain Social

This photo-first social app allows users to post galleries with titles, descriptions, and locations, and share temporary 24-hour stories. It offers various feed options including following, curated, camera-based, and location-based browsing. Users can sign in with their existing Bluesky account.

Highlights
  • Photo galleries with titles and descriptions
  • 24-hour disappearing stories
  • Multiple feed options (following, curated, camera, location)
  • Location-based browsing with maps
  • Bluesky account integration
  • Alt text for photos
  • EXIF data preservation
Features
Read full description

Grain is a photo-first social app. Post galleries, share 24-hour stories, and browse feeds by following, For You, camera, or location. Galleries One photo or a full set. Each gallery has a title, description, and location. Add alt text on individual photos. EXIF is read from the file and kept intact. Stories Share something in the moment. Stories disappear after 24 hours. Favorite and comment the same as on galleries. Feeds Pin the ones you want: following, For You, by camera body, or by location with a map. Mentions, hashtags, links @mention people, add #hashtags, paste links. All tappable. Sign in with your Bluesky account No new password. Your Bluesky handle and followers come with you. People who follow you on Bluesky can find you on Grain, and the people you already follow are here too. Don't have a Bluesky account? Make one at bsky.app, then sign in.

About

Between

Features
Read full description

Welcome to Between, the chat application built from the ground up for ultimate privacy and security. Unlike traditional messaging apps that route and store your conversations on central servers, Between is entirely decentralized. By utilizing advanced WebRTC technology, Between establishes a direct, secure, peer-to-peer connection between you and your contacts. Once connected, your data travels directly from your device to theirs with no middlemen, corporate servers, and no tracking. TRUE PRIVACY Your messages are for your eyes only. Every message and image sent through Between is heavily encrypted end-to-end. We don’t have access to your messages, we don't track your usage, and we don't sell your data. NO ACCOUNTS REQUIRED Say goodbye to handing over your phone number or email address just to send a message. Between generates a secure, cryptographic connection ID locally on your device. Just share your ID with a friend, and you’re ready to chat. YOUR DATA STAYS WITH YOU Your chat history and contact list are stored securely and locally on your own device. You have full control over your data and can completely wipe your local database at any time with just a few taps. FEATURES: Direct P2P Connections: Lightning-fast messaging through WebRTC data channels. End-to-End Encryption: Keeps your conversations secure. Built-in Contacts: Save your friends' connection IDs with custom names and profile pictures. No Central Storage: If it's not on your phone, it doesn't exist. Modern & Intuitive: A beautiful, native iOS experience designed for simplicity. Open-source: view and verify the code at any time. (Note: Between requires an active internet connection to establish the initial peer-to-peer handshake.)

Screenshots

Grain Social4 screens
Between4 screens

Verdict

The call

Grain Social and Between are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Grain Social ships an update weekly, Between fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Grain Social versus Between: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrain SocialBetween
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB15 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperChad MillerBryce Agostini

In-app purchases

None

Grain Social

No in-app purchases

None

Between

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Grain Social free?
Grain Social is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Between free?
Between is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Grain Social or Between have ads?
Neither Grain Social nor Between shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Grain Social or Between?
Grain Social ships an update weekly, and Between fortnightly. Most recently, Grain Social was updated on October 28, 2026 and Between on October 10, 2026.

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