# PacketMessage vs Retichat

The clearest difference is rating: PacketMessage at 5.0 against Retichat's 3.2. Retichat's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PacketMessage sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Retichat asks for nothing beyond the download.

PacketMessage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retichat has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PacketMessage ships an update weekly, Retichat every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PacketMessage | Retichat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetmessage/id6758742785/reviews)** | [3.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retichat/id6762225314/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 1 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Lukasz Skierkowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1280847319) | [New Endian LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/459947183) |

## What reviewers say

### PacketMessage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetmessage/id6758742785)

This app enables licensed amateur radio operators to send reliable messages directly over RF using their radio and a compatible TNC interface. It leverages advanced error correction protocols for robust communication in a decentralized network.

**Highlights:** FX.25 forward error correction, AX.25 bit-flip error correction, Software TNC or KISS TNC interface support, Direct RF message transmission, Decentralized communication

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


### Retichat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retichat/id6762225314)

This app provides end-to-end encrypted communication over decentralized networks. It supports store-and-forward propagation and federated nodes for lightweight push notifications. Future updates will include LoRa, group, and channel support.

**Highlights:** End-to-end forward encryption, Decentralized and organization-less, LXMF Store-and-Forward support, RFed federated propagation, Lightweight push notifications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PacketMessage free?

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

### Is Retichat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PacketMessage or Retichat?

PacketMessage is rated higher. PacketMessage averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Retichat averages 3.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do PacketMessage or Retichat have ads?

Neither PacketMessage nor Retichat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PacketMessage or Retichat?

PacketMessage ships an update weekly, and Retichat every 3 days. Most recently, PacketMessage was updated on September 10, 2026 and Retichat on September 8, 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.*