Comparison

Dumpling vs Dearly

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

Head to head
About

Dumpling

Share spontaneous moments with your partner directly on your lock screen or Dynamic Island. Send notes, emojis, and doodles instantly without needing to unlock your phone. Designed for couples seeking a private, always-on connection.

Highlights
  • Lock screen message display
  • Dynamic Island support
  • Private and secure sharing
  • Instant pairing
  • Always-on live activity
  • Send emojis, doodles, and notes
Features
Read full description

Love, without unlocking your phone. Dumpling helps couples stay close through small, meaningful moments that appear instantly on your lock screen and Dynamic Island. Send sweet notes, emojis, doodles, or heartfelt love messages — and your partner sees them the moment they arrive. No unlocking, no feeds, no distractions. Just the two of you. Designed for couples who want a private, always-on connection — whether you’re long-distance, busy, or simply love sharing spontaneous “thinking of you” moments. Key Features • Lock Screen Moments – Messages appear instantly, no unlocking needed • Dynamic Island Support – Live moments on iPhone 14 Pro and newer • Private & Secure – Only you and your partner can see what’s shared • Instant Pairing – Connect in seconds with a simple 6-digit code • Always On – Live Activity keeps your connection visible all day • More Than Text – Send emojis, doodles, short notes, or love letters Perfect For • Long-distance relationships • Daily “I love you” reminders • Valentine’s Day surprises • Quick emoji check-ins • Anniversaries & just-because moments How It Works 1. Share your unique 6-digit code 2. Enable Live Activity 3. Send something sweet 4. Stay connected — at a glance Dumpling — your partner, one glance away. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dearly

Features
Read full description

Dearly is for the person you think about when your phone is face-down. Not another group chat. Not another feed. Just the two of you : little notes, doodles, photos, and moods that show up on each other’s home screen. Write something short. Draw something dumb. Send a photo from right where you are. Your person gets a push, and the latest dearly stays on their widget until the next one arrives. What you can do • Send text, photos, doodles, and moods • Keep a home screen and lock screen widget that always shows the latest note • See how far apart you are (when you both turn location sharing on) • Compose on paper textures with extra pens (Dearly Pro) Dearly Pro One subscription unlocks Compose, paper textures, and extra pens for both of you. Soft paywall — try the free stuff first. Privacy Your dearlys stay between you two. You can delete your account anytime in Profile. (Privacy policy: https://dearlyapp.framer.website/privacy, Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/)

Screenshots

Dumpling3 screens
Dearly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dearly at none against Dumpling's 4. Dearly also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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. Dumpling sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Dearly asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dumpling ships an update every 6 weeks, Dearly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Dumpling versus Dearly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDumplingDearly
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB59 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperChristopher HeffermanEthan Dietrich

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Dumpling

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Dumpling Limited Time Offer$19.991 Year
  • Yearly$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • One Off Payment$34.99
None

Dearly

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dumpling free?
Dumpling is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dearly free?
Dearly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dumpling or Dearly have ads?
Neither Dumpling nor Dearly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dumpling or Dearly?
Dumpling ships an update every 6 weeks, and Dearly every 4 days. Most recently, Dumpling was updated on October 28, 2026 and Dearly on October 19, 2026.

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