# Shortwave Messaging vs kChat Messenger

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortwave Messaging | kChat Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-messaging/id864480884/reviews) | **[4.2 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kchat-messenger-chat-safely/id1510149456/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **54** |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornfield Creative, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/864480887) | [Kinesis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1329793491) |

## 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


### kChat Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kchat-messenger-chat-safely/id1510149456)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortwave Messaging free?

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

### Is kChat Messenger free?

kChat Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

kChat Messenger is rated higher. Shortwave Messaging averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while kChat Messenger averages 4.2 from 54 ratings.

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

Neither Shortwave Messaging nor kChat Messenger shows ads.

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

Shortwave Messaging ships an update fortnightly, and kChat Messenger every 2 weeks. Most recently, Shortwave Messaging was updated on November 1, 2026 and kChat Messenger on November 3, 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.*