# Shortwave Messaging vs BLE Messenger

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BLE Messenger at 100% against Shortwave Messaging's 42%. BLE Messenger also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). Shortwave Messaging's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BLE Messenger sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shortwave Messaging asks for nothing beyond the download.

BLE Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Shortwave Messaging's written reviews are positive against 100% of BLE Messenger's.

Shortwave Messaging ships an update fortnightly, BLE Messenger every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortwave Messaging | BLE Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-messaging/id864480884/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ble-messenger/id1196831220/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Cornfield Creative, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/864480887) | [Ohkubo Yuhei](https://appshunter.io/developer/1003046002) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortwave Messaging

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-messaging/id864480884)

Connect with people nearby through public messages within a 70-foot radius. This social networking app utilizes location services and Bluetooth to facilitate local communication.

**Highlights:** Public messaging, 70-foot communication radius, Location-based, Bluetooth integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BLE Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ble-messenger/id1196831220)

Connect with nearby users without Wi-Fi or radio networks. Share photos, sound data, and messages securely with end-to-end encryption. Resume conversations and receive notifications even when the app is in the background.

**Highlights:** Connect without Wi-Fi or radio, Secure encrypted messaging, Share photos and sound data, Resume conversations, Background notifications, Delete sent messages

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Background color | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortwave Messaging free?

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

### Is BLE Messenger free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shortwave Messaging or BLE Messenger?

BLE Messenger is rated higher. Shortwave Messaging averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while BLE Messenger averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Shortwave Messaging or BLE Messenger have ads?

Neither Shortwave Messaging nor BLE Messenger shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shortwave Messaging or BLE Messenger?

Shortwave Messaging ships an update fortnightly, and BLE Messenger every 2 weeks. Most recently, Shortwave Messaging was updated on October 13, 2026 and BLE Messenger on October 24, 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.*