Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Signal vs Marco Polo

Signal 4.7★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Signal
Marco Polo 4.8★ · Free + IAP 60

Signal is the better choice for users prioritizing privacy and secure messaging without a paywall, while Marco Polo is better for asynchronous video communication, despite its aggressive monetization and feature limitations for free users.

Full reviews: Signal · Marco Polo

Signal excels in privacy and secure messaging, offering a reliable platform for text and calls, though some users report occasional glitches and UI annoyances. Marco Polo focuses on asynchronous video messaging, which many users love, but its aggressive paywall and removal of previously free features have led to significant user frustration.

Head to head

Privacy and Security edge: SignalR4R5R11R14
Signal Signal is highly praised for its privacy features and end-to-end encryption, making users feel secure in their communications R5R11R14R17. Some users, however, express concerns about the app asking for contacts despite its privacy claims R4 and some believe the security is not as advertised .
Marco Polo Marco Polo does not primarily market itself on privacy or security, and reviews do not highlight these aspects. One user reported malicious functionality, with the app sending messages to unintended recipients .
Core Messaging/Calling Features edge: SignalR9R10R15R18
Signal Signal is generally good for messaging, with users appreciating its ease of use . However, some report issues with message delivery delays R22R30R49, and call quality can be spotty R9. Group messaging features are also criticized for lacking tools like @everyone tags R10R15 and attachment limits R18.
Marco Polo Marco Polo is loved for its asynchronous video messaging, allowing users to communicate at their own pace . Users appreciate the ability to share videos with family and friends . However, it lacks traditional text messaging or calling features R104.
Ease of Use and UI tieR3R4R7R17
Signal Signal is generally considered easy to use R17. However, users frequently complain about persistent prompts for PINs, contacts, or notifications R3R4. Some find the video recording method unhelpful R7 and voice message scrubbing difficult .
Marco Polo Marco Polo is described as simple and easy to use for its core video messaging . However, users report significant frustration with notification systems and glitches like videos not playing, freezing, or being deleted .
Reliability and Bugs tieR4R6R9R16
Signal Signal users report various reliability issues, including messages not being delivered R22R30R49, calls being spotty R9, and bugs after updates R4. Account access issues are common, especially with new phones or blocked SMS verification R6R16.
Marco Polo Marco Polo suffers from frequent glitches, including videos not playing or being deleted , freezing during recording , and poor video quality . Some users experience delays in 'live' functionality and issues with playback speed .
Price and Value edge: SignalR1R12R17R19
Signal Signal is free to use, with in-app purchases primarily for donations R17. Some users complain about being asked for money R12 or encountering scammers R1R19.
Marco Polo Marco Polo has a free tier, but users widely criticize its aggressive paywalling of features that were once free or are basic functionalities R64R67R70. The price increases are also a major point of contention .
Pick Signal if

You prioritize privacy and secure, encrypted text and voice communication, and are willing to tolerate occasional bugs or UI quirks R14R17. You need a free messaging app without features locked behind a paywall R17.

Pick Marco Polo if

You primarily want to send asynchronous video messages to friends and family, and are willing to pay for premium features or tolerate significant limitations in the free version . You value the ability to communicate without needing an immediate response R116.

Evidence note: Marco Polo's reviews are heavily skewed by complaints about its monetization strategy and the removal of previously free features. Many positive reviews for Marco Polo are general expressions of satisfaction without specific feature praise, while negative reviews are very detailed about paywall issues. Signal's negative reviews tend to focus on technical glitches and UI annoyances rather than core functionality or pricing.

Frequently asked

Is Signal truly private?
Yes, Signal is widely regarded as a highly private and secure messaging app, utilizing client-side encryption, which means the company itself cannot see your chats or calls R5R11R14R17.
Why are Marco Polo users unhappy with the pricing?
Marco Polo users are unhappy because many features, including closed captions, unlimited storage, and the ability to upload videos, have been moved behind a paywall after previously being free R64R67R70R76. Additionally, there have been significant price increases, with some annual plans rising from £44.99 to £79.99 or $119.99 to $159.99 .
Does Signal have issues with message delivery?
Yes, some Signal users report issues with messages being delayed or not delivered until the recipient connects to the app, making it unreliable for urgent communication R22R30R49.
Can I use Marco Polo for live video calls or text chat?
Marco Polo is primarily designed for asynchronous video messages, meaning you record and send videos for others to watch later; it does not offer traditional live video calls or text chat functionality within the app R104R116.

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. [R4] Signal 2/5 · US Stop asking for my contacts. Also bugs.: “Privacy minded” yet won’t stop asking for my contacts. What do you need my contacts for huh? Why are you so insistent on me handing over my contacts huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huuuuuuuuuuuuuh? Why do you keep asking huh? I said no. Do you know what “no” means? It means no for now and no forever. New update is buggy and makes the app cumbersome to use. S
  2. [R5] Signal 5/5 · US Why keep asking if I’m human: Secure and safe
  3. [R11] Signal 5/5 · US Amazing!!: Me and my family use this app and it genuinely feels so good to share information and talk without insecurity! Plus the new backup feature is amazing!!
  4. [R14] Signal 5/5 · US Secure messaging: Use it, appreciate it, don’t be dumb
  5. [R9] Signal 3/5 · US Good for messaging bad for calls: I love the privacy features overall for the app and it works great if you’re messaging others but the calling is spotty. Sometimes the calls go through and sometimes it acts like they are going through but the other person isn’t actually being contacted at all. This happens a little too often.
  6. [R10] Signal 1/5 · US Really need better group messaging: Please add @everyone or @all tags to group chat. Many want to minimize notifications unless it’s important! Tagging every member isn’t feasible/possible.
  7. [R15] Signal 3/5 · US More tools please!: Need more tools, need to be better than WhatsApp! More group ADMIN tools, I’m not able to cleanup my groups when people are no longer working with us.
  8. [R18] Signal 3/5 · US Attachment limits still for 5 chats only?: All other app functions work extremely well; however, how, after being available and in service this whole time with improvements and updates, is the chat limit for attachments still restricted to only five chats? If I want to send to nine people, have to send to five then separately to the other four. Hoping the next update rectifies this longstanding di
  9. [R3] Signal 3/5 · US Constant Asking for pin: the asking for pin dropdown never goes away.
  10. [R7] Signal 2/5 · US Video recording?: So from what I can figure out, I need to hold the button down for the video to record? That’s not helpful.
  11. [R17] Signal 5/5 · US Awesome - best privacy / usability messaging app: The most easy to use private messaging app - there are ones that are more privacy conscious but really annoying to use, the rest are really easy to use but for a reason - almost everything is reachable by third parties (either company or server operators etc) this one is the best - donate and let it thrive!
  12. [R6] Signal 3/5 · US Outrageous!!!!: I think it’s stupid that in the app after you get a new number they just want you to reconfirm your old number like it’s gonna work or something. Like dude obviously I’m not gonna be able to access my old number due to it being a old number that a no longer have so why would you try to confirm that and then give no way out every time I open the app I’m literally loosing messages t
  13. [R16] Signal 2/5 · US Unable to log in via SMS where Signal is blocked / Request for email authentication: Dear Developers, Please consider adding an email login option. In countries where Signal is blocked, it is impossible to log in via SMS because the verification codes simply do not arrive. As a result, users cannot access their accounts after switching to a new device. Right now, I am locked out of my account, whi
  14. [R1] Signal 1/5 · US Fake and good to scam people: Fake as hell fake people fake everything
  15. [R12] Signal 3/5 · US Signal: This is an okay app but all people literally do is ask you for money on here is is absolutely ridiculous
  16. [R19] Signal 1/5 · US To much scammers: Lots of scammers here
  17. [R64] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Buns: Will literally delete everything if you don’t pay for it
  18. [R67] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Most features are PAID: Free features are extremely limited. Would rather use WhatsApp than this
  19. [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
  20. [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
  21. [R22] Signal 1/5 · US Pronto desinstalaré: No me a gustado. Esperaré unas apruebas más mando mensaje y no las entrega 2 a 3. Horas después mando otro mensaje y veo que aún no a entregado el primer msaje también llamo y llamo no entrega el msaje ni llamada asta que la otra persona se conecte a signal de ahí llegan los msaje y llamadas perdidas. Está app no va a funcionar Esto lo desinstalo más después si sigue sin fu
  22. [R30] Signal 3/5 · US Good, could be great: I enjoy the privacy but I notice, lately especially, there is a lag in messages being received (indicated by the double bubble). I don’t want to use another messaging service but I have to occasionally because of the delay which is frustrating. Also the features for Apple phones are lacking but I understand why they are not the priority.
  23. [R49] Signal 1/5 · US It’s so annoying: Why does it keep pausing sent texts and I’ve been unable to receive messages
  24. [R104] Marco Polo 5/5 · US Great app…. But would love to be able to actually call/message.: I love this app! But I hate how every time I wanna respond with just a text and not a video I have to go to a separate app to message that person. Would be super cool if you could like talk to the other person while they’re making a video!
  25. [R116] Marco Polo 5/5 · US The best: Marco Polo is such a great app I get to talk to my friend and they don’t need to respond right away I could be sitting in a chair outside drinking coffee or watching movies and I will just make a Marco Polo or catch up with my friends such a good game download it,Great job

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