# Signal vs FaceTime

The clearest difference is rating: Signal at 4.7 against FaceTime's 4.2. Signal also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (68% vs 40%). FaceTime's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Signal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. FaceTime asks for nothing beyond the download.

Signal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Signal has 1.1M ratings behind it against 27K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Signal's written reviews are positive against 40% of FaceTime's.

Signal ships an update weekly, FaceTime every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Signal | FaceTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669/reviews)** | [4.2 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facetime/id1110145091/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1M** | 27K |
| Positive reviews | **67.7% of reviews** | 40.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#11** | — |
| Size | 239 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Signal Messenger, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/874139672) | [Apple Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Signal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Free · Social Networking, #143 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #144 Top Free (US App Store)

This messaging app prioritizes your privacy with strong end-to-end encryption for all communications. It offers free text, voice, and video messaging, including group chats and disappearing stories, all without collecting your data.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, Free voice and video calls, Group chats up to 1000 people, Disappearing Stories, File sharing, Admin controls for groups

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Signal Secure Backups | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Security and privacy
- 👍 Ease of use
- 🚀 Great call quality
- 🚀 Smooth and pleasant user interface
- 🔒 End-to-end encryption

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Delayed message delivery
- 🐛 Inconsistent image/video quality
- 🐛 Buggy call functionality
- 🐛 Inability to edit sent messages
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Problem retrieving data, resulting in lost message history
- Keyboard covering the current conversation
- Inconsistent behavior when attaching photos/videos
- Scrolling issues when reading through messages
- Inability to recover message history after device change

**Requested features**

- Add filters and customization options
- Allow adding music to stories
- Implement a sticker store
- Add ability to pin messages in group chats
- Allow new members to view previous group messages


### FaceTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facetime/id1110145091)

Connect with loved ones through high-quality audio and video calls. Share experiences like watching videos or listening to music together, collaborate on projects, and enhance your calls with fun effects and improved audio quality. Easily invite anyone to join, regardless of their device.

**Highlights:** Video and audio messaging, SharePlay for synced media, Screen sharing with remote control, Real-time document collaboration, Web link invitations for non-Apple users, Advanced mic modes and video effects, Seamless call handoff between devices

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Seamless and reliable video calling
- 🔍 Excellent audio and video quality
- 🤝 Great for staying connected with friends and family
- 🎨 Fun features like Animoji and Memoji
- 🌐 Compatibility with non-Apple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent call drops and connection issues
- 🔇 Audio cutting out or not working
- 🔍 Blurry or low-quality video
- 🤯 Confusing UI changes and button placements
- 🔋 Phone overheating during calls

**Reported bugs**

- Calls not connecting or dropping unexpectedly
- Inability to mute or unmute during calls
- Duplicate participants in group calls
- Screen sharing not working as expected
- Automatic call receiving with speaker on

**Requested features**

- Add filters and fun effects
- Improve screen sharing functionality
- Implement a video voicemail feature
- Allow mirroring of asymmetric faces
- Provide an option to permanently display the camera button


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Signal free?

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

### Is FaceTime free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Signal or FaceTime?

Signal is rated higher. Signal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1M ratings, while FaceTime averages 4.2 from 27K ratings.

### Do Signal or FaceTime have ads?

Neither Signal nor FaceTime shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Signal or FaceTime?

Signal ships an update weekly, and FaceTime every 6 months. Most recently, Signal was updated on October 31, 2026 and FaceTime on October 31, 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.*