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

Marco Polo vs Messenger

Marco Polo 4.8★ · Free + IAP 60
Winner Messenger
Messenger 4.7★ · Free + IAP 70

For casual, asynchronous video communication with family and friends, Marco Polo offers a unique experience, but Messenger is a more versatile and reliable option for general messaging and calls, despite its own performance issues.

Full reviews: Marco Polo · Messenger

Marco Polo excels at asynchronous video messaging, allowing users to communicate without needing a live connection, but its recent shift to a heavily paid model and numerous glitches are frustrating users. Messenger, while a more traditional messaging app, offers a broader range of communication features and is generally perceived as a free service, despite also having performance and notification issues.

Head to head

Features & Communication Style edge: MessengerR2R4R7R10
Marco Polo Marco Polo is praised for its asynchronous video messaging, allowing users to send and receive video messages at their convenience, which is ideal for staying in touch with family and friends across different time zones R2. However, many core features, such as unlimited storage, transcripts, closed captions, and live chat, have been moved behind a paywall, leading to significant user frustration R4R7R10R16. Users also desire the ability to send text messages within the app .
Messenger Messenger offers a comprehensive suite of communication features including text messaging, voice calls, video calls, and group chats . Users appreciate the ability to play games during calls and send money . However, some users report issues with custom themes and the app's integration with Facebook .
Ease of Use & Reliability tieR5R6R12R13
Marco Polo Marco Polo is generally considered simple and easy to use for its core function of sending video messages R5. However, users frequently report glitches, including videos not loading or being deleted R12R13, video quality issues , and problems with live features R6. Some users also experience issues with Bluetooth audio R29 and unexpected video speed changes .
Messenger Messenger is generally easy to use for its various communication features. However, it suffers from frequent bugs and glitches, including messages disappearing , the app freezing , auto-logging out , and general slowness . Some users also report issues with audio during calls .
Notifications tieR1R3R21R49
Marco Polo Marco Polo's notification system is a major point of frustration for users. Many complain about receiving too many irrelevant notifications, such as friends being online or being 'all caught up,' with no specific settings to disable them R1R3R49. This leads some users to disable notifications entirely R3. There are also reports of false notifications R21 and intermittent notification delivery .
Messenger Messenger users frequently report not receiving notifications for new messages, even after troubleshooting steps like reinstalling the app or adjusting settings R61R73R94. This issue can cause users to miss important communications R61.
Price/Value edge: MessengerR7R9R10R15
Marco Polo Marco Polo's value proposition has significantly declined due to its aggressive paywalling of previously free or basic features. Users express strong dissatisfaction with the high subscription prices, with annual costs increasing significantly R9R10R15R18. Many feel the 'free version' is too limited to be useful and that the app is no longer worth the cost compared to free alternatives R7R9R33.
Messenger Messenger is widely perceived as a free app for communication, with users highlighting its cost-free nature as a key benefit . While it does offer in-app purchases, these are not seen as essential for core functionality. Users generally find it a valuable tool for staying in contact without direct cost.
Support tieR22R29R85R91
Marco Polo Marco Polo receives mixed reviews for customer support. One user reported responsive customer service that helped resolve a Bluetooth audio issue R29. However, another user stated they received no response after reaching out to support regarding a transcript issue R22.
Messenger Reviews do not provide specific details about Messenger's customer support experience. However, issues like account suspensions R85 and login problems R91 suggest that users may encounter difficulties that require support.
Pick Marco Polo if

You prioritize asynchronous video communication for casual updates with close friends and family, and are willing to pay for premium features or tolerate the limitations of the free tier R2.

Pick Messenger if

You need a versatile messaging app for text, voice, and video calls, especially if many of your contacts are already on Facebook .

Evidence note: Marco Polo's reviews are heavily skewed towards recent negativity regarding its pricing model and removal of features. Messenger's reviews, while more numerous, also show a significant number of complaints about bugs and performance, but its core messaging functionality remains free and widely used.

Frequently asked

Is Marco Polo free?
Marco Polo offers a free version, but many previously free or basic features, such as unlimited storage, transcripts, closed captions, and live chat, are now behind a paywall R4R7R10R16. Users describe the free version as "extremely limited" and "hard to use" R7.
Why are Marco Polo's prices so high?
Users report significant price increases for Marco Polo's premium subscription, with some seeing annual costs jump from around £44.99 to £79.99 or family plans from $119.99 to $159.99, without perceived updates or improvements to justify the hike R51R58. Many users feel the prices are "way too expensive" and "unreasonable" R18R33R51.
Does Messenger have notification problems?
Yes, many Messenger users report not receiving notifications for new messages, even after attempting to fix the issue by adjusting settings, restarting their phone, or reinstalling the app R61R73R94. This bug can cause users to miss out on important communications R61.

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. [R2] Marco Polo 5/5 · US Communicating: It’s so nice to send these back and forth to family
  2. [R4] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Buns: Will literally delete everything if you don’t pay for it
  3. [R7] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Most features are PAID: Free features are extremely limited. Would rather use WhatsApp than this
  4. [R10] 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
  5. [R5] Marco Polo 5/5 · US The greatest: It’s just awesome
  6. [R6] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Great until you pay for it: I have had Marco Polo for a while now, this is how I talk to my best friend everyday. I decided to upgrade to premium because we use it so much that it was worth the money for the features. However, ever since upgrading and now paying the app has severely lacked. When actively talking back and forth most of the time the “live” doesn’t come back until 3-4 minutes into th
  7. [R12] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Great idea: The idea is awesome and is easy to use. Unfortunately it works when it wants to work. Some get deleted for no reason or it’s unable to view. It is free so I wonder if we payed for the subscription if it would work better. I can’t justify the price when I only talk to one person though. If I had a family and more friends on it then it might be worth it. Over all it is a neat way to keep
  8. [R13] Marco Polo 1/5 · US It lags: The video most of the times doesn’t show up
  9. [R1] Marco Polo 2/5 · US Terrible notification system: No, I don’t want to be notified in the middle of the day that I’m all caught up. No, I don’t want to know when my contact is online. I just want to know when I receive a message. Thanks to Marco Polo’s extremely limited notification settings, that’s not a possibility.
  10. [R3] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Notifications needs attention: The app will notify you anytime your friends are online. This is way too often, and there’s not a specific setting to turn it off. It’s miserable. So I’ve had to just disable notifications entirely - I review polos whenever now. My friends are adjusting lol
  11. [R21] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Issues: Marco Polo used to be great to use. Anymore, all you get is multiple false notifications saying you have a message. You get delays in a message playing when you have good service and they have good service. You get freezing of Marco Polo messages and I’m sure I’m forgetting some. It is hardly worth the effort to use it now.
  12. [R49] Marco Polo 1/5 · US Great but greedy: This app used to be great but now most of the features are pay-walled. They send you bogus notifications to try and get you to open the app. The app is fine but it isn’t worth what they’re trying to squeeze out of people.
  13. [R9] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Cool app won’t pay: Been using Marco Polo for years liked it much better when it was free and they were trying to sell you on a subscription or something. There’s too many other ways to video chat with people that are free so why should I pay a subscription for Marco Polo?
  14. [R15] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Desires in an app: I wish it was free to close the app while listening to the video I want the ability to put the phone in my pocket while listening with my EarPods without the video stopping I also wish it was cheaper to get the premium and even a one time purchase would be great!
  15. [R22] Marco Polo 2/5 · US Please bring back closed captioning!: The transcript hasn’t been working and my app removed the closed captioning option so I have no way of reading what my friends are saying! Edit: They replied saying I should reach out to the support team, I already did 6 days ago with no response.
  16. [R29] Marco Polo 5/5 · US No Bluetooth?: Fun app! It makes connecting with others easy. Responsive customer service, too. I had an issue with the audio: streaming to Bluetooth-connected devices was not working. I reached out to the developers via customer service and received an email with instructions that led me to the solution.
  17. [R85] Messenger 1/5 · US Smh: Twice in a row got suspended and all they could say was it was a system error
  18. [R91] Messenger 1/5 · US Switched to IOS, have been trying to log in for a while and no luck... garbage app: Switched to IOS, have been trying to log in for a while and no luck... garbage app
  19. [R16] 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
  20. [R18] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Fun app only with the premium: Really fun entertaining app however so many things are locked because I don’t have the premium which is way too expensive. I can’t fast forward videos and I can only react with a couple specific emojis.
  21. [R33] Marco Polo 3/5 · US Make this app more affordable: I like this app, but it would be so much better if you made it a one time charge overall or lowered your price to something more affordable and reasonable. I guarantee if you lowered your prices to something more affordable, then you would see people subscribe for sure. Anything over $30 is very unreasonable, especially during times like this.
  22. [R51] 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
  23. [R58] 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.
  24. [R61] Messenger 1/5 · US NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS: Since the most recent update, I’m not getting notified of new messages. I’ve turned off my notifications in the app in the Settings app and turn them back on. I’ve restarted my phone deleted the app and reinstalled it and still I’m not getting notified when I get new messages. I have to open the app and check manually This is caused me to miss out on potential sales on
  25. [R73] Messenger 1/5 · US Notifications do not work: Notifications do not work · translated
  26. [R94] Messenger 2/5 · US Missing notifications: This is more on Facebook page where I have a notification that somebody replied to my comment and then I click on it and it's somebody else or it won't show the person. HUGE BUG!

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