# Buzz vs Stereo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stereo at none against Buzz's 10. Stereo also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (10K vs 1.5K). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buzz sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Stereo asks for nothing beyond the download.

Stereo holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stereo has 10K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Buzz's written reviews are positive against 46% of Stereo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Buzz ships an update every 3 weeks, Stereo every 11 days. Both last shipped on September 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buzz | Stereo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buzz-make-friends/id956545196/reviews) | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stereo/id1501818976/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | **50.5% of reviews** | 45.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 130 MB | 163 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Mapmate Interactive Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493407194) | [Stereo App Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501818975) |

## What reviewers say

### Buzz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buzz-make-friends/id956545196)

Discover and connect with new people based on shared interests like music, movies, and gaming. Swipe to find friends nearby or globally, chat, share photos, and even find local activities. Earn rewards for your engagement.

**Highlights:** Swipe to meet people, Match through interests, Chat and share photos, Find local activities, Earn rewards, Global and local connections

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mapbuzz Gold One Week Premium | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Gold Premium | $19.99 | per month |
| Mapbuzz Gold One Month Premium | $29.99 | per month |
| Mapbuzz Gold Yearly Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Studio/Limelight | $1.99 | one-time |
| Studio/Limelight | $2.99 | one-time |
| Studio/Limelight | $4.99 | one-time |
| Studio/Limelight | $6.99 | one-time |
| One Week Time Feature | $9.99 | one-time |
| Mapbuzz Gold Features | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 🙂 Fun to use
- 🗺️ Useful map feature
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 🤝 Great for making friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- ⏳ Slow and laggy
- 🔒 Difficult to create account
- 💰 Too many paywalls
- 🚫 Fake profiles and scams

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Verification problems
- Notification bugs
- Incompatibility with devices
- Account deletion not working

**Requested features**

- Add video calling
- Increase swipe/message limits
- Improve account deletion process
- Enhance age verification
- Add more customization options


### Stereo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stereo/id1501818976)

This social app allows users to share and discover voice notes, engage in live conversations, and connect with others through messaging. It also offers in-app games and avatar customization to enhance social interaction.

**Highlights:** Viral voice notes, Spontaneous conversations, Live talks, In-app messaging, Play games, Customizable avatars

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for live conversations
- 👍 Unique concept for social interaction
- 💡 Potential for community building
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive interface
- 👍 Helpful for practicing public speaking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
- 🔒 Concerns about moderation and safety
- 👎 Poor content discovery and navigation
- 👎 Lack of pause/rewind functionality
- 👎 Automatic audio playback upon app launch

**Reported bugs**

- Accounts being banned for unclear reasons
- Audio issues like echoes and cutting out
- Inconsistent age verification and restrictions
- Inability to sign up or log in properly
- Recorded messages disappearing unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Add pause and rewind functionality
- Improve content discovery and browsing
- Implement better moderation and safety controls
- Allow users to customize their avatars
- Provide more options for monetization and rewards


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buzz free?

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

### Is Stereo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Buzz or Stereo?

Stereo is rated higher. Buzz averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Stereo averages 4.6 from 10K ratings.

### Do Buzz or Stereo have ads?

Neither Buzz nor Stereo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buzz or Stereo?

Buzz ships an update every 3 weeks, and Stereo every 11 days. Most recently, Buzz was updated on September 29, 2026 and Stereo on September 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*