# Chalkee vs Orbit

The clearest difference is ads: Orbit at none against Chalkee's shown. Orbit also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 8 days). Chalkee's advantage is ratings volume (177 vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chalkee sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Orbit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Orbit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chalkee has 177 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chalkee ships an update every 8 days, Orbit every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chalkee | Orbit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (177 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chalkee-chalk-message-widget/id6756626124/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbit-couples-and-bff-widget/id6760682869/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **177** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 63.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 108 MB | 242 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ryuta Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625327853) | [Mayak Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1238326184) |

## What reviewers say

### Chalkee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chalkee-chalk-message-widget/id6756626124)

Send heartfelt, chalk-style handwritten messages to friends and family. Display received messages directly on your home screen widget and get real-time notifications. Deepen your connections with a personal touch.

**Highlights:** Chalk-style handwritten messages, Home screen widget display, Real-time notifications, Simple invite code connection, Connect with up to 20 people (premium), Unlimited messaging (premium), Unlock special chalk colors (premium)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chalkee Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Chalkee Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Special Colors Full Set (24 Colors) | $2.99 | one-time |


### Orbit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbit-couples-and-bff-widget/id6760682869)

Connect with your partner or best friend through live widgets on your Home Screen. Share photos, doodles, notes, and moods instantly. Play games and track activities together without leaving the widget.

**Highlights:** Live widgets for instant sharing, Photos, doodles, notes, and moods, Widget-based games (Tic-Tac-Toe, Connect Four), Activity and step races, Live distance and weather sharing, Customizable widget designs

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| View Access | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus | $6.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chalkee free?

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

### Is Orbit free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chalkee or Orbit?

Orbit is rated higher. Chalkee averages 4.7 out of 5 from 177 ratings, while Orbit averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Chalkee or Orbit have ads?

Chalkee shows ads; Orbit does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chalkee or Orbit?

Chalkee ships an update every 8 days, and Orbit every 3 days. Most recently, Chalkee was updated on October 30, 2026 and Orbit on October 28, 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.*