Platform Overview: Web vs. Mobile App
MessageFuture is available on three surfaces: the web dashboard, the iOS app, and the Android app. Your account, messages, contacts, and AI Twins are fully synced across all of them in real time. This article explains what each platform does best and where they differ.
The Web Dashboard
The web dashboard is the most feature-complete surface. It is recommended for:
- Composing long or detailed messages with rich text
- Reviewing and managing all your messages (Drafts, Scheduled, Delivered)
- Managing Contacts, Guardians, and Trusted Contacts
- Creating and editing AI Twins
- Managing your subscription and credits
- Exporting your data or scheduling account deletion
The dashboard is optimised for desktop screens but is fully responsive and usable on a mobile browser.
The Mobile App (iOS & Android)
The MessageFuture app is available on:
- iOS – App Store
- Android – Google Play
The mobile app is built with Expo React Native and is recommended for:
- On-the-go message composition
- Recording audio and video directly from your device camera and microphone
- Taking photos from your camera roll or camera and attaching them instantly
- Receiving and reading messages from your inbox
- Chatting with AI Twins
- Accepting Guardian invitations
Feature Parity at a Glance
The table below shows where the two platforms are equivalent and where they differ.
| Feature | Web | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Create & edit messages | ✅ | ✅ |
| Scheduled delivery | ✅ | ✅ |
| Timeless delivery | ✅ | ✅ |
| Assign Guardians | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI title & content suggestions | ✅ | ✅ |
| Upload images from device | ✅ | ✅ |
| Take photo with camera | ❌ | ✅ |
| Record audio in-app | ✅ (browser mic) | ✅ (native recorder) |
| Record video in-app | ✅ (browser cam) | ✅ (native camera) |
| Multi-select images | ✅ | ✅ (up to 10) |
| Draft auto-save | ✅ (3-sec debounce) | ✅ (3-sec debounce) |
| Draft restore on next visit | ✅ | ✅ (via secure storage) |
| Contacts management | ✅ | ✅ |
| Guardian management | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create AI Twins | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat with AI Twins | ✅ | ✅ |
| Share AI Twins | ✅ | ✅ |
| Notification bell | ✅ | ✅ |
| Push notifications | ❌ | ✅ |
| Credits & billing | ✅ | ✅ (IAP) |
| Subscription management | ✅ (Stripe portal) | ✅ (App Store / Play Store) |
| Data export | ✅ | ❌ |
| Account deletion | ✅ | ❌ |
| Settings & profile editing | ✅ | ✅ |
| Timezone picker | ✅ | ✅ |
| Blocked users management | ✅ | ✅ |
Platform-Specific Notes
Recording on Mobile
The mobile app uses the device’s native camera and microphone, which means higher quality recordings and full access to your camera roll. On iOS, you will be prompted to grant camera and microphone permissions on first use.
Push Notifications (Mobile Only)
Push notifications are only available on the mobile app. You can enable or disable them from Settings → Notifications within the app. The web dashboard uses the in-app notification bell exclusively.
Billing Differences
- Web users purchase credit packs and subscriptions via Stripe Checkout (card payments).
- Mobile users can purchase through Apple App Store or Google Play in-app purchasing, as well as Stripe via the in-app credits screen.
Credits purchased on any platform are immediately reflected in your account balance across all surfaces.
Data Export and Account Deletion (Web Only)
Full data export and the account deletion flow are currently only available through the web dashboard at Settings → Data & Privacy. Mobile users who need these features should sign in on the web.
Keeping Both in Sync
All data is stored in MessageFuture’s cloud backend (Supabase) and synced automatically. There is no manual sync step. Any message you start composing on your phone is immediately available as a draft on the web, and vice versa.