Comparison

GruChat vs Retro Messenger Chat

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

Head to head
About

GruChat

Features
Read full description

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!

About

Retro Messenger Chat

Features
Read full description

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 โ€ข Sign in with email, Google, or Apple โ€ข Block users and report concerns to support โ€ข Mute notifications per chat โ€ข Export a conversation โ€ข 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

GruChat4 screens
Retro Messenger Chat4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
GruChat versus Retro Messenger Chat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGruChatRetro Messenger Chat
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 days โ€” betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.6 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size141 MB23 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperGooChatONE AND THREE

In-app purchases

None

GruChat

No in-app purchases

None

Retro Messenger Chat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GruChat free?
GruChat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Retro Messenger Chat free?
Retro Messenger Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do GruChat or Retro Messenger Chat have ads?
Neither GruChat nor Retro Messenger Chat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GruChat or Retro Messenger Chat?
GruChat ships an update every 5 days, and Retro Messenger Chat every 2 months. Most recently, GruChat was updated on October 31, 2026 and Retro Messenger Chat on November 5, 2026.

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