Shortwave Messaging vs kChat Messenger
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Shortwave Messaging
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.
- Public messaging
- 70-foot communication radius
- Location-based
- Bluetooth integration
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Public messaging with a 70-foot radius. Shortwave requires Location Services and access to Bluetooth.
kChat Messenger
This messaging app prioritizes child safety with robust parental controls, allowing parents to manage contacts and settings. It offers creative communication tools like drawing and stickers, and can be used by multiple children on a parent's device without needing individual phone numbers.
- Full parental control over settings and friend requests
- Kids can use parent's device without their own number
- Creative tools: drawing, stickers, photo sharing
- Larger text and icon-based navigation for young children
- Encrypted messages and private data
- Multiplatform and multilingual support
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kChat is a FREE messaging app that puts kids’ safety first. kChat combines the fun and freedom of messaging with complete protection and safety to meet the needs of both kids and parents. Safety Through Full Parental Control - Parents have complete control over the app from a password-protected settings page - Only parents can accept friend requests - Only parents can add friends - Friends can only be added if they belong to a known group Kids Don't Need Their Own Number or Device - Only parents' phone numbers are used - Kids can safely use their parents' devices as the settings area is password protected. Plus, any number of kids can be added on a single device. Easy to Use - kChat has a simple user interface and easy navigation – which is great for parents too! - Larger text for beginner readers - Clever use of icons and voice messages means kids don't have to be able to read yet - Recommended for children ages 5+ Kids Stay Connected - kChat is a great way for kids to stay in touch with friends and family Get Creative - Kids aren't limited to text messaging - They can also draw and share their masterpieces with contacts - Fun, animated stickers help express themselves - Taking photos or sending images from their gallery is another convenient feature 100% FREE and NO ADS - Download is free - No subscription fees now – or any time later - No in-app ads Multiplatform and Multilingual - kChat can be used on both smartphones and tablets - It is available in English, Spanish, and Hebrew – with more languages coming soon! Your Data Is Safe and Private - Your details, profiles, groups, messages, and media are all encrypted - We take your privacy seriously and will never give third parties access to your data
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: kChat Messenger at 4.2 against Shortwave Messaging's 3.0. kChat Messenger also leads on ratings volume (54 vs 1) and review sentiment (60% vs 42%). Shortwave Messaging's advantage is iOS requirement (7.0 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
kChat Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: kChat Messenger has 54 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Shortwave Messaging's written reviews are positive against 60% of kChat Messenger's.
Shortwave Messaging ships an update fortnightly, kChat Messenger every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Shortwave Messaging | kChat Messenger |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) | 4.2 (54 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | 60.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 54 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 76 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cornfield Creative, LLC | Kinesis |
Customer experience
Shortwave Messaging
kChat Messenger
In-app purchases
Shortwave Messaging
No in-app purchases
kChat Messenger
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Shortwave Messaging free?
Is kChat Messenger free?
Which has better reviews, Shortwave Messaging or kChat Messenger?
Do Shortwave Messaging or kChat Messenger have ads?
Which is updated more often, Shortwave Messaging or kChat Messenger?
Other comparisons
