# 方客 vs Shiku IM

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: 方客 at 8.0 against Shiku IM's 15.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 方客 | Shiku IM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiku-im/id1160132242/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 123 MB | 180 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Shanghai Function Internet Finance Information Service Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1070128459) | [Shenzhen Shiku information technology co., LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/474681307) |

## What reviewers say

### 方客

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id967525174)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shiku IM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiku-im/id1160132242)

A secure instant messaging app offering high concurrency and availability. It provides a full suite of communication features including text, voice, and video calls, with advanced privacy options and private cloud support.

**Highlights:** High concurrency and availability, End-to-end encryption, Burn after reading messages, Video and voice conferencing, Private cloud deployment, Group chat up to 10,000 members

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 方客 free?

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

### Is Shiku IM free?

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

### Do 方客 or Shiku IM have ads?

Neither 方客 nor Shiku IM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 方客 or Shiku IM?

方客 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shiku IM every 3 weeks. Most recently, 方客 was updated on November 1, 2026 and Shiku IM on November 6, 2026.

---

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