# zenphoto vs retro message

The clearest difference is review sentiment: retro message at 100% against zenphoto's 0%. retro message also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (11 vs 2). zenphoto's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. retro message sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. zenphoto asks for nothing beyond the download.

retro message holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: retro message has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of zenphoto's written reviews are positive against 100% of retro message's.

zenphoto ships an update monthly, retro message every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | zenphoto | retro message |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenphoto/id968674016/reviews) | **[4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **11** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 20 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sachiko Miyamoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/968674015) | [Scott Hawthorne R&D LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551950945) |

## What reviewers say

### zenphoto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenphoto/id968674016)

Easily share your photos and videos from a self-hosted ZenPhoto gallery. Manage your media, post comments, and organize albums directly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Photo uploading, Save and delete photos, Sharing options, Post comments on photos, Create and edit albums, Media website management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### retro message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-message/id1551950942)

Create unique messages by overlaying custom text or vintage movie quotes onto black-and-white retro video clips. Add a soundtrack to personalize your creations before sending them.

**Highlights:** Select vintage retro clips, Superimpose custom messages, Choose from movie quotes, Add custom soundtracks, Send via iMessage, Create personalized messages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| retro msg 1 month membership. | $1.99 | per month |
| 3 months retro msg membership | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| retro msg 1 year membership. | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is zenphoto free?

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

### Is retro message free?

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

### Which has better reviews, zenphoto or retro message?

retro message is rated higher. zenphoto averages 1.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while retro message averages 4.6 from 11 ratings.

### Do zenphoto or retro message have ads?

Neither zenphoto nor retro message shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, zenphoto or retro message?

zenphoto ships an update monthly, and retro message every 9 months. Most recently, zenphoto was updated on October 29, 2026 and retro message on October 25, 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.*