# BubbleTalk vs HOTARU

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BubbleTalk at none against HOTARU's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HOTARU sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. BubbleTalk asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BubbleTalk | HOTARU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days | Every 2 days |
| Size | 46 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yatuki Misora](https://appshunter.io/developer/1638664984) | [Tsubasa Yasui](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790467418) |

## What reviewers say

### BubbleTalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubbletalk-24/id6748744033)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HOTARU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotaru-ar-world/id6804875545)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HOTARU Premium | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BubbleTalk free?

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

### Is HOTARU free?

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

### Do BubbleTalk or HOTARU have ads?

Neither BubbleTalk nor HOTARU shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BubbleTalk or HOTARU?

BubbleTalk ships an update every 2 days, and HOTARU every 2 days. Most recently, BubbleTalk was updated on October 28, 2026 and HOTARU on October 29, 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.*