Marco Polo is a push-to-talk app that recreates the experience of using a walkie-talkie to communicate with people you know. This walkie talkie, though, has video capabilities. Try sending quick videos, or 'Polos,' as a way to locate a.
Marco Polo, is one of many communication apps along the lines of Zoom, Houseparty and SnapChat to explode in popularity during the Covid pandemic. The app’s founders, Michal and Vlada Bortnik, say their app is different in that Marco Polo is ‘built to be good for you’ and to be ‘safe for families’. Features of Marco Polo for PC: Marco polo for PC is ad-free and it does not collect your data. There are no limits on lengths and videos stored in the cloud. This is face to face app, so you can understand each other better and feel much closer. You can keep your conversation private. So it is confidential. Marco Polo works when you have a moment to talk, even if your schedules don’t match. Unlike other video apps, you don’t need to be live. Marco Polo is designed to be for your closest friends and family. You can't search and find anyone without their mobile number. Marco Polo is also ad-free and we do not collect your data.
Is Marco Polo safe for kids? What parents need to know about this ‘built to be good for you’ video messaging app.
Marco Polo Ratings
Apple: 4+
Android: PEGI 3 (suitable for all ages)
Common Sense: 13+
Qustodio: 13+ or 10+ with parental supervision
Marco Polo, is one of many communication apps along the lines of Zoom, Houseparty and SnapChat to explode in popularity during the Covid pandemic. The app’s founders, Michal and Vlada Bortnik, say their app is different in that Marco Polo is ‘built to be good for you’ and to be ‘safe for families’. To help make your digital parenting decisions easier, and to help you keep your kids safe online, we’ve taken a closer look at those promises and the app in this safety guide to Marco Polo for parents.
What is the Marco Polo app?
Marco Polo App Scam
![Logo Logo](/uploads/1/1/7/9/117929351/660899752.jpg)
Some people call Marco Polo the ‘Snapchat for old people’ because it is a video based social media app with a 20+ audience which includes celebs who are also parents such as Ice-T. But unlike Snapchat, the videos you record on Marco Polo don’t disappear or self-destruct. Users record video messages of themselves for a friend or group of friends and upload them for asynchronous viewing - immediately after or at a later date. In other words, the video messages cannot be responded to in real-time (except for a set of simple emojis) like in a FaceTime or Skype call. Marco Polo is much more like a walkie-talkie, which is exactly why its makers refer to it as a “video walkie-talkie”.
Why do families love Marco Polo?
- Marco Polo highlights that busy parents really like that they can send messages without the pressure to respond immediately.
- Marco Polo is free to use, though it does offer a paid version with more options as part its efforts to try to find a sustainable business model not based on ads (see next point).
- Marco Polo promises to never show ads, never sell user data for advertising, never uses 'likes' or social comparisons, nor manipulate algorithms.
- In terms of bandwidth, Marco Polo is more like text messages. The app eats up less of your data plan than real-time video chat platforms do and makes it less likely you’ll have a choppy connection.
- Marco Polo is not dependent on social media accounts, as long as Grandma and Grandpa have a phone number they can use it.
- And last but not least, Marco Polo has some fun features such as voice-changing, including the irresistible “helium” and “robot” options and the ability to draw and write on videos. (But without going over the top by turning yourself into a dog.)
Is Marco Polo safe for kids?
- Marco Polo has no text chat or direct message (DM) option, which cuts off a typical avenue for potential predators to contact their kids.
- Also, Marco Polo doesn't allow you to browse for friends of friends or total strangers. To chat with someone, you must add that person to your contacts.
- Marco Polo itself doesn't generate any objectionable content, but like any social app, your child’s exposure to risk online depends a lot on who their contacts are. If you know who your child’s contacts are and keep an eye on it, they should be fine. But be aware that app features and filters change. But for now, Marco Polo is safer for kids than apps that have public feeds or that facilitate the ability to connect with strangers.
- What about data? Marco Polo only encrypts data in transit, not end-to-end. So they have access to your videos indefinitely, though you can choose to delete them. Marco Polo also insists no data is monetized or advertised against.
- Children under 13 aren't permitted to create Marco Polo accounts per the app’s terms and conditions (and per COPPA and GDPR legislation).
How can I make Marco Polo safer for my child or teen?
![Marco polo app stock Marco polo app stock](/uploads/1/1/7/9/117929351/568195594.jpg)
- To protect your child’s identity, use your own information (name, phone number, and email address) at sign up for any child under 13 you would like to allow to use the Marco Polo app.
- Skip the request to access contacts.
- Ensure you know everyone in your child's contact list.
- Talk about what kind of messages and how many are appropriate to share. Remind your child that every video (everything) can be screenshot. There are no second chances with live or semi-live conduct. Remember, iOS allows for an easy screencast (video recording of what’s happening on the screen).
- Talk about screen-life balance. Make sure your child knows the advantages of in-person communication and how much harder it can be to interpret emotion, body language and jokes in an online environment.
- Set screen limits on device use no matter what apps your child is using. Parental Controls such as Qustodio make doing so consistent and easy for today’s busy parents.
Qustodio’s final advice on Marco Polo
As long as parent’s know who is on their child’s contact list, Marco Polo is a safe app made by two parents who clearly understand what other parents want in an app. While we have some doubts about the safety of the data storage and about how long they will be able to keep their ad-free promise, we think this is an appropriate app for families. We like the limited scope of the app - nothing is over-the-top, it’s not about likes and showing off to the whole world to see which takes away much of the stress of traditional social media platforms to perform, especially for teens. We also like that it is made and owned by Joya Communications, the Marco Polo parent company, and not a giant tech company - for now.
Footnotes:
- Snapchat Sees Higher Usage Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns, Outlines Key Trends of Note (Social Media Today)
- Zoom's revenue soars 169% as people flock to service during pandemic (CNN)
- Marco Polo has been around for years, but it’s blowing up amid the pandemic (The Verge)
- Texting & Messaging What Is the Marco Polo App? (LifeWire)
- Marco Polo - Video Chat App Review (Common Sense Media)
- Why More Than 1 Million Users— Including Pink And Ice T—Are Flocking To Marco Polo Amid COVID-19’s ‘Epidemic Of Loneliness’ (Forbes)
- Video app Marco Polo adds a subscription option amid coronavirus-led boost in usage (TechCrunch)
Further reading from Qustodio on digital parenting:
Where to get Qustodio
- Qustodio for Android (Download from Google Play)
- Qustodio for iOS Phone & iPad (Download from Apple App Store)
Today’s article features a Marco Polo app review! This video messaging app is quickly growing in popularity, and is set to be the next biggest competitor of SnapChat, with some users even preferring the Marco Polo app to the famed SnapChat app, noting that the Marco Polo app is easier to use.
Marco Polo has already received over 10 million downloads via the Google App Store (not including iOS downloads). Its outstanding feature is that this app enables users to use video as a way to text/message people within their existing social circles, and is NOT intended as a way to meet new people, which makes it super idea for users who don’t want to be contacted by strangers. Keep reading below for our in-depth Marco Polo app review!
Marco Polo App Review Snapshot
Type of App | Video Messaging App |
Developer | Joya Communications |
Platforms | iOS and Android |
iTunes | Download Page |
GooglePlay | Download Page |
Free | Yes |
Overview of Marco Polo
Marco Polo is an app that can be used on either iOS or Android operating systems that allows users to have face-to-face video conversations with their friends and family. The app enables users to have conversations either one-on-one or as a group. A recorded video can be sent directly to other users, or videos can be sent to specific groups of friends or family. Users are able to create as many different groups as they wish.
How Does It Work?
After downloading the app, users can sign up using their e-mail address and/or phone number. The app gives an option for users to connect to their contact lists in order to find their friends and family who are using Marco Polo. Once users have logged in, they will be direct to an area where they can connect with their contacts, view their existing contact list, and sort their contacts into groups.
The app is designed in a super user-friendly way, where users can simply tap on the square of the person or group they wish to start a video chat with. This function will also provide access to video chat histories and allow users to view past videos chats with that person or group.
Recommended read: Zello App Review
These few steps are all it really takes to use the basic functions of this app, which makes it very efficient. However, Marco Polo also features a range of other optional functions that enable the user to get more creative with their video chatting. These features include the following:
- Video filters.
- Voice filters.
- The ability to share a daily story.
Is Marco Polo App Safe?
As the Marco Polo app is intended for users to connect directly to their existing social contacts, rather than enabling them to meet strangers, the Marco Polo app can be considered reasonably safe.
However, it is important to note here that since this app does request access to a users contact lists, some users may not prefer to give up this level of privacy in order to use the app. Additionally, some users have noted that the app may at times try to include old, deleted contacts to a users profile. Despite this, the user is still in full control of which of their contacts are added to their Marco Polo friends list.
Pros & Cons
In this section of our Marco Polo app review, we will go over some of the pros and cons of using this app, based on the feedback from other users of this app.
PROS:
Marco Polo App Virus
- This is a really fun and playful app which takes the idea of ‘texting’ to a modern and updated level using video.
- Marco Polo is easy and efficient to use, making the video chatting process effortless.
- Video chatting is a more personalized way to keep in touch with family and friends.
- The video history functions serve as a type of digital scrapbook of moments you shared with your friends and family.
- Compared to SnapChat, many users find Marco Polo easier to use.
- Marco Polo provides the perfect way to stay close to loved ones who live in other states or overseas.
- Users who like this app say that the voice and video features help to make this app super fun to play around with, especially in group chats.
- The app combines the convenience of texting, with the personalization of a face-to-face conversation.
CONS:
- Notifications cannot be customized to specific contacts.
- There are no time limitations or timers for how long a video text can be, which can be a nice feature, but may also lead some users to talking too long per single message.
- The default settings of the app will sometimes send random and unwanted notifications which encourage the user to send a video to their contacts, however, these notifications can be halted using the notification settings.
- Overall, the settings of this app could be more customizable.
- Notifications from other apps can create an audible overlay when a video message is being recorded.
Registration & Login Process
- Step 1: Search for the Marco Polo app in the Google Play Store for Android, or the iTunes or the App Store for Apple/iOS devices.
- Step 2: Download the Marco Polo app (the official app has a beach ball icon).
- Step 3: Open the app once it has finished downloading.
- Step 4: Click the blue ‘Get Started’ button.
- Step 5: Enter your phone number. The app will send you a text to verify your phone number.
- Step 6: Now the app will help you locate your friends that you can connect with. The app will enable you to invite friends to also use the app, as well as show you which of your friends are already using it. You can also choose to skip the step of inviting friends.
- Step 7: Once you have connected with the friends you have chosen, Marco Polo will direct you to the home page which will show all of your friends and enable you to start chatting with them at your leisure.
Overall, the registration process is very easy and has a similar login process as most other apps. From start to finish the downloading and registration process should take no more than 3-5 minutes, and then you will be ready to start chatting!
*Note: While it does not appear that the Marco Polo app restricts the ages of its users, most parents seem to agree that the app is most appropriate for users aged 13 and up.
Marco Polo Alternatives
Some other video messaging apps similar to Marco Polo are as follows:
- Glide
- Skype
- imo
- JusTalk
- Google Duo
- ooVoo
- Facebook Messenger
- Holla
- Live Chat
- ICQ
- Movy
- SPARK
- SnapChat
- VSee
- TamTam
- Camsurf
- Groovi
- Camfrog
- Tinychat
- BIGO LIVE
* All apps in the above lists are available for free, although some offer in-app purchases and most of them contain ads.
Marco Polo App Security
Final Thoughts
This concludes our Marco Polo app review. Overall, when used in a responsible manner and with parental supervision for children, the Marco Polo app can be a fun and exciting way for friends and family members to keep in touch from day-to-day or across long distances.
Marco Polo App Ios
Available to users for free-use and featuring a number of quality video and voice features means that anyone can afford to use this app and get creative by sending fun and silly video messages to their favorite people. While there are a number of apps competing with the Marco Polo app, this app still stands out as it is intended strictly for use with people the user already knows, while other apps enable users to meet new people.
Marco Polo App Faq
Have you already tried the Marco Polo app? Did you find our Marco Polo app review useful? Let us know about your experiences down below!