# Marco Polo vs BatChat

The clearest difference is rating: Marco Polo at 4.8 against BatChat's 3.5. Marco Polo also leads on ratings volume (2.2M vs 101) and chart position (#10 vs unranked). BatChat's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 65%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Marco Polo sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and BatChat sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Marco Polo holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Marco Polo has 2.2M ratings behind it against 101, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of Marco Polo's written reviews are positive against 86% of BatChat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Marco Polo ships an update weekly, BatChat every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Marco Polo | BatChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marco-polo-video-messenger/id912561374/reviews)** | [3.5 (101 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batchat-encrypted-messenger/id1661048017/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2M** | 101 |
| Positive reviews | 65.3% of reviews | **86.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 223 MB | 278 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Joya Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/530046419) | [ChengDu Ciyuan zhishi Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661048019) |

## What reviewers say

### Marco Polo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marco-polo-video-messenger/id912561374)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #106 Top Free · Social Networking, #178 Top Grossing (US App Store)

This app offers private, ad-free video messaging for one-on-one or group conversations. It focuses on genuine connection without social media pressures, allowing users to communicate on their own schedule.

**Highlights:** Private, ad-free video chat, Asynchronous video messaging, One-on-one and group chats, Emoji reactions and special effects, Sharecast feature, Background listening (Plus), Speed control (Plus)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marco Polo - Unlimited Storage | $7.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus - Family Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo Plus – Family Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Marco Polo - Unlimited Storage | $47.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus – Family Plan | $159.99 | per year |
| Marco Polo Plus – Family Plan | $159.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for long-distance communication
- 🚀 Convenient video messaging
- 💡 Allows asynchronous communication
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Helps maintain relationships

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Video and audio quality issues
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High data usage
- 🔒 Removing previously free features

**Reported bugs**

- Videos stopping or going black during playback
- Issues with marking messages as unwatched
- Inconsistent behavior after app updates
- Forced upgrade to paid version without warning

**Requested features**

- Add text messaging capabilities
- Improve video/audio quality
- Bring back previously free features
- Add option to save/download videos
- Improve navigation and playback controls


### BatChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batchat-encrypted-messenger/id1661048017)

This secure messaging app offers end-to-end encrypted communication for both personal and professional use. It features private chat modes, encrypted file storage, and high-definition calls, ensuring data security and privacy.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Private chat mode with screenshot alerts, Encrypted local file storage, Multimedia file transfer, HD encrypted voice and video calls, Multi-device synchronization, Virtual avatar creation

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1月的免广告服务 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 50BF币 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 蝙蝠1个月VIP | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1月自动签到服务 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 3个月VIP | $29.99 | one-time |
| 198Bat币 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 6个月VIP | $59.99 | one-time |
| 6个月的自动任务服务 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 1年SVIP | $99.99 | one-time |
| 1年自动签到服务 | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Strong privacy and security
- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient performance
- 💡 Unique features like screenshot alerts and self-destructing messages
- 💬 Good for social interaction and making friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues and network errors
- 🐛 App not working or crashing
- 🐛 Some users report it's a scam or phishing software
- 🐛 Paid features for encryption
- 🐛 Frequent ads for non-members

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot log in
- Network connection issues
- Cannot send messages
- App not opening
- Login registration fails for Chinese phone numbers

**Requested features**

- Adapt to landscape mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Marco Polo free?

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

### Is BatChat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Marco Polo or BatChat?

Marco Polo is rated higher. Marco Polo averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.2M ratings, while BatChat averages 3.5 from 101 ratings.

### Do Marco Polo or BatChat have ads?

Neither Marco Polo nor BatChat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Marco Polo or BatChat?

Marco Polo ships an update weekly, and BatChat every 2 weeks. Most recently, Marco Polo was updated on November 7, 2026 and BatChat on November 7, 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.*