# DatChat vs Essential Reef

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Essential Reef at none against DatChat's 4. Essential Reef also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 9 days) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). DatChat's advantage is ratings volume (944 vs 6). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DatChat sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Essential Reef asks for nothing beyond the download.

Essential Reef holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DatChat has 944 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

DatChat ships an update every 9 days, Essential Reef daily. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DatChat | Essential Reef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (944 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datchat-social-network-plus/id999516973/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-reef/id6765518560/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **944** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Myseum, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/999516972) | [Essential Reef](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895977098) |

## What reviewers say

### DatChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datchat-social-network-plus/id999516973)

This app offers a private social network and messenger with self-destructing, screenshot-protected, and end-to-end encrypted posts and messages. Users can control messages even after sending, create private social groups, and secure photos with advanced encryption.

**Highlights:** Self-destructing messages and posts, Screenshot protection with notifications, End-to-end encrypted communication, Nuke conversations to erase both sides, Private social groups, Multiple accounts, Encrypted hidden photo storage

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Remain Anonymous | $1.99 | one-time |
| DatChat Pro Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Privacy and security
- 🚀 Innovative features
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Blockchain technology
- 🔒 Anti-screenshot protection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔧 Needs more feature development
- 👎 Dated UI design
- 🔍 Difficulty finding recent messages

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Inconsistent message delivery
- Notifications not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Video chat functionality
- Ability to like/react to messages
- Improved message search and sorting
- Customizable notification settings
- Integration with other platforms


### Essential Reef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-reef/id6765518560)

Connect with fellow reef aquarium enthusiasts, track your tank's parameters and livestock, and buy or sell corals, fish, and dry goods in a dedicated marketplace. Features include community forums, direct messaging, and detailed tank logging tools.

**Highlights:** Community forums and direct messaging, Marketplace for corals, fish, and dry goods, Tank parameter logging and charting, Livestock tracking and growth recording, Dosing schedule and logging, Data export to CSV

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DatChat free?

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

### Is Essential Reef free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DatChat or Essential Reef?

Essential Reef is rated higher. DatChat averages 4.8 out of 5 from 944 ratings, while Essential Reef averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do DatChat or Essential Reef have ads?

Neither DatChat nor Essential Reef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DatChat or Essential Reef?

DatChat ships an update every 9 days, and Essential Reef daily. Most recently, DatChat was updated on September 21, 2026 and Essential Reef on September 16, 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.*