Review Insights · App Store
Zello Walkie Talkie
Zello · 34,639 ratings · ★ 4.6
4.6
★★★★★
34,639 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 48 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"update"
18 negative reviews mention this · 38% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst update ever. Completely useless. No need for the constant app running at top of screen. Pointless." - Gmczr2
2
"zello"
12 negative reviews mention this · 25% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Used to be good. Stop pushing Zello at the top of my phone. I have all notifications off and it still pops up. If I need to use the app, I will open it. I don’t need it blocking my other apps because I just use this for work. Change it back or I am uninstal…" - effacebook
3
"work"
11 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Work app. I use this for work and now it’s pinned itself to the top of my screen with no way to disallow it from doing that. Hell no." - BlueJaysFeather
4
"phone"
9 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Used to be good. Stop pushing Zello at the top of my phone. I have all notifications off and it still pops up. If I need to use the app, I will open it. I don’t need it blocking my other apps because I just use this for work. Change it back or I am uninstal…" - effacebook
5
"iphone"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Put it back. It aint it. Bring the old version back for Iphone. I don’t 73 different screens to leave etc. The update sucks. I dont want tge blue thing blocking my clock or the pop up. Ridiculous" - Nooo73
6
"screen"
6 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Work app. I use this for work and now it’s pinned itself to the top of my screen with no way to disallow it from doing that. Hell no." - BlueJaysFeather
7
"messages"
6 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "No longer a functional app. After the recent update, the app will no longer open. As a business that functions with constant and necessary communication, this is not good. Even when it was working, often times there were many delays with messages." - 21frustrated
8
"terrible"
5 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Used to be better. This most recent version as of 5/1/26 something st the top is popping up all the time and opening a box at the top of the screen that says talk and there’s no way to stop it, especially in another app. This is a terrible design. Whatever …" - Mrs. Magillicutty
9
"happened"
5 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Dark theme gone after update. What happened? Toggle options not functioning" - jack2020mehoff
10
"longer"
5 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "No longer a functional app. After the recent update, the app will no longer open. As a business that functions with constant and necessary communication, this is not good. Even when it was working, often times there were many delays with messages." - 21frustrated
11
"button"
5 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Creepy…. My mom downloaded the app for us and I got creeped out it kept making weird sounds and it showed a emergency button which was hesitant To press but it also kept glitching plus she Didn’t read the reviews that I read which it looks like a v…" - Nezuko 🤪
📋 All 48 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Work app
I use this for work and now it’s pinned itself to the top of my screen with no way to disallow it from doing that. Hell no.
Worst update ever
Completely useless. No need for the constant app running at top of screen. Pointless.
Used to be good
Stop pushing Zello at the top of my phone. I have all notifications off and it still pops up. If I need to use the app, I will open it. I don’t need it blocking my other apps because I just use this for work. Change it back or I am uninstalling it. It’s also draining my phone battery
Used to be better
After the update it keeps popping up on my phone when I am not using it.
Put it back
It aint it. Bring the old version back for Iphone. I don’t 73 different screens to leave etc.
The update sucks. I dont want tge blue thing blocking my clock or the pop up. Ridiculous
The update sucks. I dont want tge blue thing blocking my clock or the pop up. Ridiculous
Scam
I downloaded to try and it didn’t work for me. So I removed the app but SOMEHOW it’s still connecting to my phone in my notification bar as “Ella” even tho I deleted the app. And it s draining my battery. Do not waste your time on this app.
Unreliable, terrible sound
Not ready for prime time. Works maybe half the time. It's free, so it’s appropriately priced.
Dark theme gone after update
What happened?
Toggle options not functioning
Toggle options not functioning
Upgrades made it useless
By removing the simple and free pc app, it’s made my usage of the iOS app useless. Can’t communicate without a paywall. If it’s possible to do so freely, it’s too confusing to figure out.
Garbage
Doesn't work on ipad.
Creepy…
My mom downloaded the app for us and I got creeped out it kept making weird sounds and it showed a emergency button which was hesitant
To press but it also kept glitching plus she
Didn’t read the reviews that I read which it looks like a virus app so please change the logo and update it thank you merry Christmas
To press but it also kept glitching plus she
Didn’t read the reviews that I read which it looks like a virus app so please change the logo and update it thank you merry Christmas
Abruptly Unable To Log In
I’m a veteran and have been around since this platform was called Loudtalks. All of a sudden, I can no longer log on to my account and will NOT be credited a new one. I reached out to the support team and received NO response.
Volume
Need to be able to adjust users volume
Frustrating
Frustrating that you can’t select a hardware button to use as a one touch ptt. You always have to reach for the on screen button👎🏻
Horrible
Horrible worked fine one day at work. I was off the next day came back to work after my day off and now says device not managed. This is the second time this has happened. iPhone 15pro max. Needless to say it works when it wants to
(STILL)Needs lots of work!
UPDATE: if anyone knows an app that is comparable to this one, please let me know because it is absolutely horrible and is not getting better.
My cousin and I use this app every day, all day, but so many of our messages do not get delivered or only half of the message is delivered. This was not as bad until recently. Hopefully there will be an update to fix issues soon because we are actively looking for another app to use. :(
My cousin and I use this app every day, all day, but so many of our messages do not get delivered or only half of the message is delivered. This was not as bad until recently. Hopefully there will be an update to fix issues soon because we are actively looking for another app to use. :(
Update crashed
Updated the app on October 18th and now it won’t even open.
Can’t sign up
Will update my review when the app lets me get past putting my email in to sign up. Just sits there and spins all day long. iPhone 15 iOS 18.6.2. Support ticket is in
What happened??
This used to be a fairly decent app, but something changed in the past few months. I don’t know if there was some sort of update, but it’s basically useless now. Unless you are actively using the app, you are signed out and don’t receive incoming messages. For example, I can pick up my phone after not using it for a couple of hours and find that several messages have come through that didn’t play. Does anyone have any suggestions for other apps like this that would be better?
Not good
Was good when it was working lots of first responders are in the dark now because the app isn’t working
Fails to load
The app CONSTANTLY fails to deliver my full message. For example, I’ll send a 60 second message, but the recipient only gets 32 seconds of it. We even try restarting the app, but the full
Message never loads on the receiving end (even though my end shows the full 60 seconds). High potential, but huge let down
Message never loads on the receiving end (even though my end shows the full 60 seconds). High potential, but huge let down
Won’t update
App will not update
Bring back The free web client
I loved zello. there used to be tons of nonprofit hobbyist RF gateways and since they’ve gotten greedy they’ve effectively shut down all amateur/cb/GMRs links that I used this app for… way to go guys. Maybe bring back the web client for hobbyists.
Not for me
This app was extremely difficult and annoying to work with. It didn’t want to accept requests from and to friends. Boring, and false advertisement 🙄🙄 waste of time…
Voice messages shouldnt last forever
When i walkie talkie someone. The messages literally last forever. There should be a setting where messages disappear after a week or so. No one needs messages on either end lasting longer than a week or so but it is just one long text thread of audio tracks when i look at my conversations. Im sure the people i speak to have the same thing. You need to implement what signal has where they disappear after a but. ON BOTH ENDS
Nasty
App very nasty
Zello
The app is great but, please fix the PTT option for the iPhones
Completely unable to use my volume buttons as a PTT button please fix!
Completely unable to use my volume buttons as a PTT button please fix!
Zero Customer Service
A Zello release corrupted the volume on my iPhone for all other apps. When Zello is open and active the volume on all other apps is maximum half. The only way to restore full volume is to kill Zello. But here is the kicker: when you contact Zello and file a complaint you get ZERO response. They couldn’t care less.
App won’t download
No matter what I do the app simply won’t install. There’s plenty of storage on my device but when I click to download the app it swirls like it’s going to install but immediately comes back to the install button like it hadn’t been pressed at all
Recent update causing app to not work in background
I am a fan of Zello. However the most recent app has caused it to no longer work in the background. Happened after 18.3 update.
Keep crashing, won’t stay connected after update and iOS update
The app keeps freezing up like it shuts down every time. My phone goes on lock and it happened after the iOS and the update. Don’t know what exactly what’s going on but a lot of bugs that needs to be fixed. Also tried to report a problem and it won’t even let you record it so I’m having to leave a review to report my problem.
No entran los audios
No entra los audios
La actualización mató la app
Cada actualización pone la app pero ya no sirve y la gente está emigrando a otras redes despierten, no se hagan ese daño ustedes mismo, queremos el Zello que teníamos antes
Newest update broke this app for iPhone users
The new lock screen has ruined this app. I also can longer playback transmissions without them stopping. Zello now also has to be open and in the front to hear any channels regardless if not muted. Thank God I still have an old android phone that works, because thats the only way I can monitor channels now.
Lockscreen Talk Button Is Terrible
I am a heavy user of Zello with lore than 20 actively monitored channels. I cannot stand the new lockscreen PTT features and will have to uninstall it from my daily use phone. I will keep it on an alternate old phone but this is the worst new feature in the history of PTT apps.
Doesn’t work
Don’t waste your time you can’t even create an account. It doesn’t accept your password and yes, it is over eight characters. Give me a break.
Please fix
After update the app will not let me close it down still runs in the background
Latest update
Unable to close the app after the latest update. Even when forced closed transmissions come through.
Used to be better
This most recent version as of 5/1/26 something st the top is popping up all the time and opening a box at the top of the screen that says talk and there’s no way to stop it, especially in another app. This is a terrible design. Whatever changed with the latest version is absolutely terrible. Please get rid of this ptt shortcut or make it able to be disabled.
No longer a functional app
After the recent update, the app will no longer open. As a business that functions with constant and necessary communication, this is not good. Even when it was working, often times there were many delays with messages.
It’s stops working
It’s doesn’t work properly in iPhones.
Intrusive
I use this app as a first responder to augment our other tools. I have recently deleted the app even though our dispatch continues to use it. I did this because I cannot turn it off. Setting all channels to silent and force quitting the app don’t work. It’ll even restart on its own randomly. Let me know if you fix it.
zello
Zello isn't working when open app comes black nothing pops up.
Terrible on iPhone
Since updating to IOS 18 this app has been terrible. It always pops up on my Lock Screen, the time is constantly taken up by a blue oval that links to Zello, and there is no option to turn this off despite what help articles say. When I listen to saved messages they get cut off if a new one comes in despite my “busy” status.
So very annoying, please have one of your updates address this issue for iPhone users.
So very annoying, please have one of your updates address this issue for iPhone users.
IOS 18.3
I’m not sure if it has to do with the update of my software, but once I updated my phone, Zello will not play over the speaker like it used to. I literally have to have the app open and on the contact to be able to hear messages that are coming in rather than automatic like it used to be and should be.. very frustrating and useless now as I need it to be playing automatically
Issue Jan 20/2025
. 5467 version on iPhone. It won’t let me
(Log IN )to my existing account that I have . Please fix the issue
(Log IN )to my existing account that I have . Please fix the issue
Blue circle around the time
Since the latest update I’ve had a blue circle/oval permanently around the time. It’s extremely annoying and many time I can’t tell the time. Please fix this to the old way!!
Terrible with iOS 18
I’ve used this app for over a year, and unfortunately just upgraded to iOS 18. In doing so, I can’t listen to or watch anything else with Zello running (even though I have my channels muted). With the use of the push to talk framework, all audio/video on the phone either stops or the volume is cut in half. At one point on prior iOS versions they had fixed this, but not now. If my channels weren’t muted, I would understand why it does what it does. But I still want to log the history without the phone stopping everything else (or my truck constantly saying ‘call muted’ on CarPlay.
Sentiment summary
90%
Positive (4-5★)
4%
Neutral (3★)
6%
Negative (1-2★)