Shortwave Messaging vs Bluetalk
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.
Bluetalk
Communicate with nearby users directly via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for an internet connection. Share messages and photos, and receive notifications from people in your vicinity, ideal for situations with limited or no Wi-Fi.
- Bluetooth messaging
- Offline communication
- Photo sharing
- Nearby notifications
- No internet required
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Chat via Bluetooth, without the need for an internet connection. Whether you are on an airplane, a camping trip without a constant internet connection or you just want to stay in touch with nearby people without draining your data volume, with Bluetalk you can always send messages and photos and receive notifications for messages nearby people send you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Shortwave Messaging at Free against Bluetalk's $2.99. Shortwave Messaging also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 17.0). Bluetalk's advantage is chart position (#122 vs unranked) and review sentiment (50% vs 42%). On rating, ratings volume, 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
Shortwave Messaging is free to download; Bluetalk costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.0 for Shortwave Messaging against 3.0 for Bluetalk. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of Shortwave Messaging's written reviews are positive against 50% of Bluetalk's.
Shortwave Messaging ships an update fortnightly, Bluetalk every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Shortwave Messaging | Bluetalk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) | 3.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #122 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cornfield Creative, LLC | FiveSheep OU |
Customer experience
Shortwave Messaging
Bluetalk
In-app purchases
Shortwave Messaging
No in-app purchases
Bluetalk
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Shortwave Messaging free?
Is Bluetalk free?
Which has better reviews, Shortwave Messaging or Bluetalk?
Do Shortwave Messaging or Bluetalk have ads?
Which is updated more often, Shortwave Messaging or Bluetalk?
Other comparisons
