Comparison

BRB2K vs High Shelf

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

Head to head
About

BRB2K

Experience the classic instant messaging of the late 90s with authentic Windows 98 aesthetics and sound effects. Chat with nostalgic personas, manage your buddy list, and set away messages. This app offers a safe, private, and ad-free way to relive early internet communication.

Highlights
  • Classic buddy list with status
  • Authentic IM windows
  • Away messages and user profiles
  • Windows 98 aesthetics
  • Iconic 90s sound effects
  • Pre-programmed 90s personas
Features
Read full description

The 90s called... and they want you back! Remember Instant Messaging? That satisfying chime, the buddy list pings, and chatting for hours with your friends after school while your parents yelled about tying up the phone line? Welcome back to 1999 with BRB2K! Immerse yourself in a pixel-perfect recreation of the classic IM experience, complete with Windows 98 aesthetics—beige IM windows, that chunky pixel font, dial-up vibes, and all the iconic sounds you loved. Chat with Fun, Realistic 90s Personas: • SkaterGuy99 – Skateboard pro who’s always hyped about new Tony Hawk tricks, JNCO jeans, and complaining about homework. • TriviaBot3000 – Your go-to bot for killer 90s trivia on Spice Girls, Pokémon cards, Tamagotchis, Beanie Babies, and Y2K survival tips. • PrincessSparkle85 – Your go-to bot for killer 90s trivia on Spice Girls, Pokémon cards, Tamagotchis, Beanie Babies, and Y2K survival tips. Key Features That Nail the Nostalgia: • Classic Buddy List with online/offline status (just like the old days) • Instant messaging windows straight out of your old Compaq desktop • Away messages, user profiles, custom IM styles • Authentic Windows 98 and IM sound effects that’ll give you goosebumps • Endless conversations packed with late 90s references (no Y2K panic required) Whether you had a screen name like xXSk8rGrlXx or you’re just discovering the golden age of the internet, this app brings the magic of early online chatting right to your phone. Safe, fun, zero ads, and 100% privacy-focused—no data harvesting like those old AOL CDs. Download BRB2K now and re-live the moments. a/s/l? … just kidding, we’re ready whenever you are! --- Terms of Service: https://brb2k.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://brb2k.com/privacy

About

High Shelf

Features
Read full description

High Shelf is one home for everything you love: films, TV shows, books, games and music, tracked together on one beautiful shelf. LOG IT IN SECONDS Rate with half stars, write a review, mark spoilers and keep a dated diary of every watch, read, play and listen. Mark anything as want to, in progress, finished or did not finish. PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF The Continue strip at the top of your Library shows what you're in the middle of. Log the next episode, chapter or session with one tap. KNOW IF IT'S WORTH IT Every title has IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores, trailers, cast and crew, community ratings and where to stream, rent or buy it in your country. SEE WHAT'S TRENDING Discover the top 10 across High Shelf for every format. Swipe through quick yes-or-no picks, get a For You feed tuned to your taste and browse lists and reviews from the community. KNOW YOUR TASTE Stats show your media mix, an activity heatmap, how you rate, your top genres and favourite decades. Set yearly goals and watch your progress. YOUR YEAR, WRAPPED Wrapped turns your year into a story you can tap through. Share cards for reviews, your profile, your goals and your year look great in any story or chat. SHOW OFF YOUR SHELF Pin your all-time favourites to The High Shelf on your profile, earn levels as you log, follow friends, like and comment on their reviews and build lists together. BRING YOUR WHOLE HISTORY Import from Letterboxd, Goodreads, Trakt, TV Time, IMDb, Simkl and Serializd in a couple of minutes, with your ratings, reviews and dates. High Shelf is free to use. High Shelf Pro removes ads and adds advanced stats, 14 colour themes, the shiny Pro level badge, taste compatibility with friends, unlimited lists, and more. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://highshelf.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

BRB2K4 screens
High Shelf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: BRB2K at none against High Shelf's shown. High Shelf's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and in-app purchases 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. BRB2K sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and High Shelf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BRB2K ships an update every 2 months, High Shelf every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
BRB2K versus High Shelf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBRB2KHigh Shelf
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size95 MB56 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBetter Things BetterATLE RICHTER SCHIE

In-app purchases

8 purchases

BRB2K

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly$1.997 Days
  • BRB2K Plus$3.997 Days
  • Standard$5.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • BRB2K Plus$11.991 Month
  • Standard$49.991 Year
  • BRB2K Plus$99.991 Year
One-time2
  • Usage Pack – Small$4.49
  • Usage Pack – Large$8.49
2 purchases

High Shelf

Subscriptions2
  • High Shelf Pro$2.991 Month
  • High Shelf Pro - Annual$29.991 Year

Questions

Is BRB2K free?
BRB2K is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is High Shelf free?
High Shelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BRB2K or High Shelf have ads?
High Shelf shows ads; BRB2K does not.
Which is updated more often, BRB2K or High Shelf?
BRB2K ships an update every 2 months, and High Shelf every 4 weeks. Most recently, BRB2K was updated on October 23, 2026 and High Shelf on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons