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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Paltalk vs Marco Polo

Paltalk 4.3★ · Free + IAP 30
Winner Marco Polo
Marco Polo 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70

Marco Polo is the better choice for reliable video messaging and staying connected with friends and family, despite recent price increases and feature paywalls, while Paltalk struggles with significant technical issues and safety concerns.

Full reviews: Paltalk · Marco Polo

Paltalk, an older platform, is plagued by frequent freezing, crashes, and a lack of modern features, along with serious user safety concerns. Marco Polo, while facing user frustration over increased subscription costs and features moved behind a paywall, generally offers a more stable and convenient video messaging experience for personal connections.

Head to head

Features tieR1R9R16R27
Paltalk Paltalk users report missing basic functionalities like seeing user icons, inability to unreddot as an admin, and issues with mic access and video layouts R1R16. Some users desire an iPad version with full-screen support and dark mode R9. The mobile app is also seen as less functional than the PC version, lacking features like persistent chat history and multi-room chatting R27.
Marco Polo Marco Polo offers video messaging, live chat, and group chat features . However, many features, including the ability to upload videos, unlimited storage, transcripts, and even closed captions, have been moved behind a paywall, frustrating users R67R70R76R79. Users also wish for the ability to send text messages within the app and to close the app while listening to videos .
Ease of Use edge: Marco PoloR1R6R10R17
Paltalk Paltalk users find the app frustrating due to frequent freezing, crashing, and audio issues R1R6R18. Problems include profiles jumping around, making it hard to click R10, inability to send messages , and difficulties with deleting message histories . Some users also report issues with logging in and the app not opening R17.
Marco Polo Marco Polo is generally considered easy and fun to use for connecting with others . However, users report issues with the video quality being bad or glitchy , videos not loading or playing , and the app stopping during recording . Some users also experience a glitch where video speed automatically changes to 1.5x .
Reliability edge: Marco PoloR1R6R16R18
Paltalk Paltalk is widely criticized for its instability, with users reporting constant freezing, crashes, and disconnections R1R6R18. Specific issues include mic buttons not working, cameras constantly opening, and layouts changing R16. Bluetooth also drops out after updates .
Marco Polo Marco Polo users report issues with delays in messages playing and freezing . Some videos get deleted for no reason or are unable to be viewed . There are also reports of the app sending messages to unintended recipients . However, customer service has been responsive for some technical issues, like Bluetooth connectivity .
Price/Value tieR1R3R13R50
Paltalk Paltalk users complain about high membership costs, with one user paying over $500 for a room subscription R1. Extreme memberships are needed for features like seeing who's viewing you, which casual users find too expensive R3. Users also report being randomly charged R13 and having ads despite paying for a 'green nick' R50.
Marco Polo Marco Polo users express significant frustration over features being moved behind a paywall and substantial price increases for premium subscriptions R67R70. The annual family plan increased by $40, from $119.99 to $159.99 R118. Users feel the free version is too limited and that the subscription is too expensive for what it offers .
Support & Safety edge: Marco PoloR1R7R14R40
Paltalk Paltalk users report unresponsive tech support R1. There are serious concerns about the app being unsafe, a 'cesspool for hackers,' permitting unwanted attacks on devices, and exploiting vulnerable individuals R7. Users also report racial hate against minorities R7 and encountering 'creeps' and 'pedos' R14R40. Account deletion is difficult, requiring a request and even ID, which users find unprofessional and shady R49R55.
Marco Polo Marco Polo's customer service has been responsive to some technical issues, like Bluetooth connectivity . However, some users report no response after reaching out to support . The app has issues with its notification system, sending too many irrelevant alerts without specific settings to turn them off .
Pick Paltalk if

Pick Paltalk if you are a long-time user familiar with its community and are willing to tolerate significant technical issues and potential safety concerns for its unique chatroom experience .

Pick Marco Polo if

Pick Marco Polo if you prioritize a generally stable video messaging app for connecting with friends and family, and are willing to pay for a subscription to access advanced features and avoid limitations of the free tier .

Evidence note: Paltalk's reviews are heavily skewed towards technical problems and safety concerns, with very few positive remarks beyond simple ratings. Marco Polo's negative reviews are primarily focused on the shift to a paid model and the high cost of subscriptions, rather than fundamental app functionality, though some technical glitches are noted.

Frequently asked

Is Marco Polo free to use?
Marco Polo has a free tier, but many features, including unlimited storage, transcripts, and closed captions, have been moved behind a paywall, leading to user frustration R67R70R76R79.
What are the main issues with Paltalk?
Paltalk is frequently criticized for freezing, crashing, audio issues, and a lack of modern technical controls, along with serious concerns about security, hackers, and racial hate within its chat rooms R1R6R7R16.
Has Marco Polo increased its prices?
Yes, Marco Polo has significantly increased its subscription prices, with the annual family plan rising by $40, from $119.99 to $159.99, which many users find excessive and unjustified R111R118.
Can I delete my account on Paltalk?
Deleting a Paltalk account is not straightforward; it requires submitting a request and, according to some users, providing personal ID, which is considered unprofessional and shady R49R55.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Paltalk 1/5 · US Missing icon of user: Paltalk is old platform and lack of modern technical control. Problem happen very often, it’s alway freezing. And I am unable to see many user in the chat room because the icon of user at upper right corner has been removed. My room subscription is $500+ for 3 Mics, and we setup Auto Reddot, but now I can’t even unreddotted myself in the room even though I am an admin of the
  2. [R9] Paltalk 3/5 · US Please make an iPad version: Paltalk works good overall but it would be nice if there was a iPad version that would cover the whole screen and a dark mode Other than that its great. PS. You should take some tips from Camfrog they are pretty much exactly the same
  3. [R16] Paltalk 1/5 · US Poorly Managed: Far & away the most poorly managed app I've ever used. There's always something messing up or poorly thought out ( like the Jump To Present button you have to push to see text comments). The Select Video Layout Button doesn't work, constantly opens cameras and constantly changes the layout after you've picked a format. The mic up button don't work either, and freezes the app when y
  4. [R27] Paltalk 3/5 · US Nowhere Near as Good as the PC Version: I’ve always been happy with the PC version. For some reason on both iPhone and iPad, the conversation history just disappears. I cannot see my or the person’s chat history. Makes it hard to avoid repeating yourself. Makes it hard to remember what they said. Especially if you have a lot of contacts. Also, on the PC you can chat in a room and still chat with
  5. [R6] Paltalk 3/5 · US Latest version update is trash: The latest version has way too many bugs. It freezes, crashes, audio keeps reconnecting, among other things. Others are complaining about the same issues I am having. Fix it!
  6. [R10] Paltalk 1/5 · US Fix the room to stop profiles jumping around so when scrolling: Why can you not stop members in room from bouncing around while searching members? It gives me a headache. You cannot be fast enough to click on a profile. One second they are there and then the profile moves to another position on the mobile App!!
  7. [R17] Paltalk 5/5 · US Unable to login: I am trying to login but it keep saying too many OTP requests Update: I figured it out
  8. [R18] Paltalk 3/5 · US Maintenance: The app is awesome, but all the maintenance they do never seems to fix the bugs and crashes. And they force you to update the app to a newer version or you will not be able to login.
  9. [R3] Paltalk 3/5 · US Mostly fun but a few annoying things…: The app is similar to CamFrog some of the same features but a lot of differences, on CamFrog I like that you can see who’s viewing you on a regular account on PalTalk you have to pay for the extreme membership and it’s not cheap! I guess for someone who uses it all the time that’s fine but I’m more of a casual user but seeing “someone else is viewing you” is
  10. [R13] Paltalk 1/5 · US Watch your account: This app randomly charged me $10.77 although I signed up for nothing. They are a scam I’m warning you before you proceed
  11. [R50] Paltalk 5/5 · US Why the afs: What’s up with the ads on pal mobile I pay for a green nick for the past 11 years and now I have to deal with ads on mobile this is a joke I might just boycot the program and have all my friends boycot too
  12. [R7] Paltalk 2/5 · US Paltalk is a Cesspool for Hackers: Most recently, Paltalk has become very unsafe, as it exploits and manipulates the vulnerable (i.e. mentally ill individuals) and, it rewards room owners that maintain high room numbers, by any corrupt means. Most worrisome, Paltalk has become a cesspool for hackers: and, it permits unwanted attacks on smart devices. And, Paltalk permits extreme racial hate agains
  13. [R14] Paltalk 5/5 · US creeps (i had to make it at the top): caught one creep today an he was trying to do well if you know you know
  14. [R40] Paltalk 1/5 · US Pedos: Got groomed on here when I was in 5th grade. joined video chat and tons of old men started messaging me & harassing me for nude photos.
  15. [R67] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Most features are PAID: Free features are extremely limited. Would rather use WhatsApp than this
  16. [R70] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Used to be great, greed ruined it: It’s really a huge disappointment. My whole family loved Marco Polo. It was our preferred method of keeping in touch. We would use the Sharecast feature for video updates of our kids. The ability to upload videos, the unlimited storage, even the transcripts of Polos was great. What was really amazing is that as a Plus member you used to be able to gift temporary P
  17. [R76] Marco Polo 1/5 · US WHY DID YOU REMOVE CLOSED CAPTIONS!!??: My wife is deaf and can only watch our family Polos with captions! Very ableist and a dirty trick by the developers and needs to be reversed! Even people who aren’t deaf or hard of hearing may like this feature to watch a Polo without the sound as to not disturb others. The developers of this app are constantly removing basic features and placing them behin
  18. [R79] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Transcript copy removed from pro: Hopefully this is just a bug, but the absolute best feature and the reason me and my developers where using pro and sharing was the transcript copy feature. This has been removed and it is rather frustrating. We are working around this of course but we are a small hobby team right now with the hope of growing capital in the future.
  19. [R111] Marco Polo 3/5 · GB Why the huge price increase?: My sister in law and I use this to communicate and have done for several years. Her quality of videos is great but mine are a bit blurry if I watch them back. But the reason for writing this review is the huge price hike. I only pay for premium because I want the ability to jot notes and occasionally speed a message up at times but a huge hike from £44.99 to £79.99 a
  20. [R118] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Crazy price increase: I have loved this app for over 5 years. This year they are increasing the family plan by $40! That’s crazy, $119.99 to 159.99. They have not done any updates or improvements to justify such increase. Look elsewhere.
  21. [R49] Paltalk 1/5 · US Deleting my account should not be a request: If I wish to delete my account it is quite unprofessional and absolutely unacceptable that it requires a request to delete my account
  22. [R55] Paltalk 1/5 · US impossible to delete account: Didn’t need anything but an email to sign up for this app - but to delete your account they want your ID. Unreal. Super shady and doesn’t seem legit. Know I know they will keep my Accor forever and steal my data for life, how cool of you all. Use ANY other app that doesn’t want to invade your personal data in order for you to exit it.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store