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Azar vs Monkey is a common question for anyone who wants random video chat on a phone rather than a desktop site. Both match you with strangers on camera and both charge for extras, but they come from very different places and are available in different ways.
Azar launched in 2014 in Seoul and now belongs to Match Group. Monkey was built by two young founders, bought by HOLLA in 2017 and later removed from Apple’s App Store over safety concerns. That last point alone decides the question for many iPhone users.
Azar vs Monkey at a glance
| Azar | Monkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2014 | 2016 (per founders’ Wikipedia; not directly verified) |
| Owner / operator | Hyperconnect (Seoul), owned by Match Group since 2021 | Founded by Ben Pasternak and Isaiah Turner; acquired by HOLLA in Dec 2017 |
| Cost model | Free matching; gems pay for filters and messages | Not on the official page; reviews cite Monkey Plus about $9.99/month and “Bananas” currency |
| Sign-up | Check provider | Required: 1-tap social login (reviews say Google, Facebook or Apple) |
| Filters | Gender and region filters, paid with gems | Check provider |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | Android app; web on iOS and desktop |
| Status | Active | Active; removed from Apple’s App Store |
Azar and Monkey details checked on 23 Sep 2026 from Wikipedia, Azar’s help center, monkey.app, AVG and VentureBeat, plus public reviews. Features change — check azarlive.com and monkey.app for current details. 1on1Chat is not affiliated with Azar or Monkey.
How Azar and Monkey match you
Azar works like a swipe: a stranger appears on video, and you swipe to skip. Real-time translation lets you talk to people who do not share your language, and in March 2025 Azar added “Azar Lounge” as another way to discover people. Its help center documents a “Super Match” filter.
Monkey is built around short, fast matches — historically 15-second calls you could extend — plus text chat. Video is relayed through the cloud, and the company describes automated moderation. Whether it offers gender or country filters today is not confirmed in our sources.
Gems vs Monkey Plus: what you pay
On Azar, matching is free, but filters and messages cost gems, a virtual currency. Filters charge gems per match, so costs add up the more you use them. Reviewers often call gems expensive, and some report gems not arriving or being deducted unexpectedly.
Monkey does not show prices on its official page. Reviews mention a Monkey Plus subscription at about $9.99 a month and an in-app currency called Bananas. Confirm in the app before paying, since none of those numbers are official.
Signing up to Azar and Monkey
Monkey’s official site says sign-up is a one-tap social login; reviews name Google, Facebook or Apple. That links the app to an existing account of yours.
Azar’s sign-up method is not confirmed in our sources, so check the app. In either case, whoever you meet sees your camera and what you say, so keep identifying details out of shot — see how to stay anonymous on video chat.
Safety record, as reported
Apple removed Monkey from its App Store over safety concerns, according to AVG and Internet Matters, and reviews describe its age checks as weak. That is the single biggest mark against it.
Azar’s complaints are different: fake or streamer profiles, sudden bans and an appeals process users call opaque (collected by unstar.app, justuseapp and Sikayetvar). Neither company’s systems were tested by us; these are public reports. For general habits, read is random video chat safe?.
iPhone, Android and browser
Azar has apps for iOS and Android plus a web version, so it works everywhere. Monkey has an Android app; on iPhone and desktop you use it through the browser, because it is no longer in Apple’s App Store.
Azar pros and cons
Pros
- Backed by Match Group, active since 2014
- Real-time translation
- Apps on iOS and Android, plus web
- Swipe matching is quick to learn
Cons
- Filters and messages cost gems per use
- Reports of gems not arriving or deducted
- Complaints about fake or streamer profiles
- Bans with an appeals process users call opaque
Monkey pros and cons
Pros
- Fast, short matches keep things moving
- Text chat as well as video
- Android app plus browser access
- Describes automated moderation
Cons
- Removed from Apple’s App Store over safety concerns
- Weak age verification reported
- Prices not published officially
- Social login required to start
Azar or Monkey: pick by what you need
- You use an iPhoneAzar. Monkey is only reachable through the browser on iOS.
- You chat across languagesAzar, for its real-time translation.
- You want quick, short matchesMonkey’s format is built around speed — if you are comfortable with a social login and its safety history.
- You want to avoid in-app currenciesNeither is ideal. Compare other routes in our Azar alternatives and Monkey alternatives pages.
How 1on1Chat differs from Azar and Monkey
1on1Chat is one-on-one video, voice or text with girls who host on the platform, rather than a feed of random strangers. Start a random match, or browse profiles and call a specific girl; you can follow her and message her again later.
No email is needed to start, and there is no app store in the way: it runs in any modern browser and you can install it to your home screen. You get free matches first, then calls use coins; VIP is optional. It is a paid model after the free matches — honest trade-off, different purpose.
Questions, answered
Is Azar better than Monkey?
For most people, Azar is the safer bet: it is on both app stores, has translation and is owned by Match Group. Monkey suits people who want very fast matches and are fine with a social login and browser use on iPhone.
Is Monkey still available on iPhone?
Not in Apple’s App Store — Apple removed it over safety concerns. Monkey’s site says iPhone users can use it on the web.
Is Azar free?
Matching is free. Gems, a paid virtual currency, unlock filters such as gender or region and let you send messages.
Who owns Monkey?
HOLLA acquired Monkey in December 2017, according to VentureBeat. It was founded by Ben Pasternak and Isaiah Turner.
Do Azar and Monkey have gender filters?
Azar does, paid with gems. For Monkey our sources do not confirm a gender filter, so check the app.
Is there an app like Azar for talking to girls?
Azar matches you with anyone. If you specifically want one-on-one calls with girls, 1on1Chat is built for that — see our girl video call page.