GruChat vs Retro Messenger Chat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
GruChat
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GruChat - Free Chat & Voice Calls Anytime, Anywhere GruChat is a free messaging app designed to help you connect with people around the world easily and 100% free. Send messages, share photos and files, and enjoy high-quality voice calls. - Fast Messaging, No Ads Send messages to the people you care about or create group chats to stay connected with friends โ easily and instantly. - High-Quality Voice Calls Make free internet-based voice calls with stable and reliable VoIP performance. - Share Photos & Files Instantly share images, videos, and documents with friends or groups. - Secure & Reliable We value your privacy and are committed to providing a safe and trustworthy communication experience. - Made for Everyone Whether you're chatting with friends, family, your partner, or your team, GruChat is the messaging app everyone should have. Download GruChat for free and start connecting today!
Retro Messenger Chat
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Retro Messenger is a minimalist chat app for iPhone. No emojis, stickers, GIFs, or media; just text, a retro terminal look, and end-to-end encryption. MESSAGE BY USERNAME Find someone by username and send a message request with a short intro note. They choose to accept or decline before you can chat. TEXT ONLY, BY DESIGN Plain text conversations with a calm green-on-black interface. One-to-one and group chats (up to 20 people). ENCRYPTION Message bodies are encrypted on your device before they leave it. Only conversation participants with the right keys can read them. PRIVACY & CONTROL โข Sign in with email, Google, or Apple โข Block users and report concerns to support โข Mute notifications per chat โข Export a conversation โข Delete your account in-app ALSO INCLUDED Read receipts, typing indicators, inbox search, friends list, username share + QR, optional recovery passphrase for new devices, and push alerts for messages and requests. Retro Messenger is made by One and Three. Support: https://oneandthree.in/contact Privacy: https://oneandthree.in/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: GruChat at every 5 days against Retro Messenger Chat's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
GruChat ships an update every 5 days, Retro Messenger Chat every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GruChat | Retro Messenger Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days โ better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 โ better | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 141 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | GooChat | ONE AND THREE |
In-app purchases
GruChat
No in-app purchases
Retro Messenger Chat
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is GruChat free?
Is Retro Messenger Chat free?
Do GruChat or Retro Messenger Chat have ads?
Which is updated more often, GruChat or Retro Messenger Chat?
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