# Marco Polo vs Nova Kit

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nova Kit at none against Marco Polo's 11. Marco Polo's advantage is chart position (#15 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Marco Polo sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Nova Kit asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Marco Polo | Nova Kit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marco-polo-video-messenger/id912561374/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.2M** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Best chart rank | **#15** | — |
| Size | 222 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Joya Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/530046419) | [Grayscale Consulting Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861167861) |

## What reviewers say

### Marco Polo

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

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #103 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect face-to-face with loved ones through private, ad-free video messages. This app allows for asynchronous conversations, letting you send and receive video messages on your own schedule, fostering deeper connections without social media pressures.

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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases (11)**

| 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 |
| Plus Guest Pass | $14.99 | one-time |

**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


### Nova Kit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-kit/id6758458060)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Marco Polo free?

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

### Is Nova Kit free?

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

### Do Marco Polo or Nova Kit have ads?

Neither Marco Polo nor Nova Kit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Marco Polo or Nova Kit?

Marco Polo ships an update weekly, and Nova Kit weekly. Most recently, Marco Polo was updated on October 29, 2026 and Nova Kit on October 28, 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.*