Head-to-Head

MegaMates vs. QuestChat

Compare MegaMates and QuestChat side by side — ratings, pricing, free trials, pros and cons, and who each one is actually best for.

Voice Personals Phone Chat Line
MegaMates
4 / 5
Voice Personals with Flat-Rate Unlimited Packages

MegaMates is the consolidated voice-personals chat line from Social Tech Unlimited, LLC — operational since 1993 under the "Telemates" and "Megaphone" brands and now running in 75+ U.S. metropolitan areas for straight, gay, bi, and lesbian callers. Its signature differentiator is the pricing model: instead of per-minute packages, paid members buy flat-rate unlimited-use passes ($11.99 / 24h up to $49.99 / month), and a large list of core features (mailbox setup, ad recording, browsing, sending messages, accepting Live Chat invites, accepting Direct Connect calls, the matching menu) is always free with no credit card. Purchases post to statements as "Progressive Computing LLC" for discretion.

vs
Traditional Phone Chat Line
QuestChat
Winner
4.2 / 5
Established Phone Dating Since 1988

QuestChat is the flagship singles phone dating brand in First Media Group's portfolio — established in 1988, still actively operated, and paired with a mobile dating app that adds text, photo, and video on top of the classic voice chat experience. First-time male callers get a 30-minute free trial, women always chat free, and a credit-card first purchase gets 50% off. It's the most established phone dating line we cover, though the caller base is smaller than LiveLinks'.

Our Overall Pick
QuestChat wins 5 of 6 criteria
See the breakdown →
MegaMates vs QuestChat
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Overview

The Quick Facts

  • Type
    MegaMates
    Voice Personals Chat Line (straight, gay, bi, lesbian)
    QuestChat
    Traditional
  • Free Trial
    MegaMates
    Free features — no trial meter (paid unlocks Message Retrieval + unlimited Live Chat / Direct Connect)
    QuestChat
    30 minutes
  • Free Trial Credit Card
    MegaMates
    Not required
    QuestChat
    Not required
  • Starter Package
    MegaMates
    $11.99 (24-hour unlimited-use pass)
    QuestChat
    $9.99 / 20 min
  • Operating History
    MegaMates
    30+ years (since 1993)
    QuestChat
    Since 1988
  • Availability
    MegaMates
    24 / 7 · 75+ U.S. metro areas
    QuestChat
    24 / 7
  • Discreet Billing
    MegaMates
    Yes ("Progressive Computing LLC")
    QuestChat
    Yes ("FIRST MEDIA")
Score Breakdown

How They Stack Up

Six weighted criteria, scored independently for each service. The higher bar wins the criterion.

MegaMates
4
/ 5
QuestChat
Overall Winner
4.2
/ 5
  • Selection & User Base
    QuestChat wins
    MegaMates 4 / 5
    QuestChat 4.3 / 5
  • Discretion & Safety
    QuestChat wins
    MegaMates 4.4 / 5
    QuestChat 4.5 / 5
  • Feature Depth
    QuestChat wins
    MegaMates 4.3 / 5
    QuestChat 4.6 / 5
  • Call Quality & Reliability
    QuestChat wins
    MegaMates 4 / 5
    QuestChat 4.3 / 5
  • Value for Money
    MegaMates wins
    MegaMates 4.2 / 5
    QuestChat 4 / 5
  • Onboarding & Trial
    QuestChat wins
    MegaMates 3.8 / 5
    QuestChat 4.5 / 5
Pros & Cons

The Honest Trade-Offs

MegaMates

4
What We Love
  • Operating since 1993 under Social Tech Unlimited, LLC (formerly Telemates and Megaphone) — one of the longest continuously running voice-personals chat lines in North America
  • Flat-rate unlimited-use packages instead of per-minute buys — no minute-counting during a call
  • Unusually large always-free feature set with no credit card: Mailbox setup, Public Message recording, browsing ads, sending messages, receiving message alerts, accepting Live Chat invites, accepting Direct Connect calls, and the Computerized Matching Menu
  • Serves straight, gay, bi, and lesbian callers on a single brand across 75+ U.S. metropolitan areas
  • Separate "Gay Chat Line" and "Straight Chat Line" entry points on megamates.com for faster routing
  • Direct Connect lets the system call you back 24/7 when someone wants to chat — including when you are offline
  • Pre-Paid Priority Messages guarantee delivery to callers who have not purchased Message Retrieval
  • Computerized Matching Menu filters callers by the stats you enter
  • Speech Recognition navigation for hands-free keypad use
  • Discreet "Progressive Computing LLC" billing descriptor on credit card statements
  • Wide payment options — Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, pre-paid cards, Check-by-Phone, Western Union, and money order by mail
  • Online purchases on secure.megamates.com include a 2 Pre-Paid Priority Messages + 1 day Message Retrieval bonus
  • 24/7 customer service toll-free at 1-888-MegaMates with a separate discreet billing department for statement questions
  • Explicit block (press 8 after a message, or press 7 from a box-number lookup) and report-to-quality-department controls
Where It Falls Short
  • No timed free-minutes trial like the 30–60 minute trials used by the Teligence and FMG families — the "free" offering is a feature menu, not a minute bucket
  • To actually listen to messages other callers send you, you need to buy Message Retrieval — a common point of confusion for first-time callers
  • Official website does not publish a per-minute rate because the model is flat-rate unlimited — callers expecting per-minute math have to translate
  • Third-party chat-line directories cite per-minute packages ($15.99 / 30 min, $25.99 / 60 min, $39.99 / 120 min) that do not match the flat-rate plans on the official Features page — verify during the buy flow
  • Mailboxes left unused for 3 months are deactivated without refund, including any remaining time or Pre-Paid Priority Messages
  • Coverage is U.S.-only across 75+ metros — caller density varies by city
  • No dedicated sub-brand for couples, Asian, BBW, Black, or Latin audiences — the line is organized around sexual orientation, not community
  • No publicly documented native iOS or Android mobile app — the service is voice-first with a web self-service portal at secure.megamates.com

QuestChat

4.2
What We Love
  • Longest-running phone dating brand in North America — established 1988
  • 30-minute free trial for first-time male callers, no credit card required
  • Women call free, always — no package, no signup, no credit card
  • 50% off your first paid package when you pay with a credit card
  • Mobile dating app with text, photo, and video — unique in the traditional category
  • App integrates with the chat line: message app-only members from the IVR system and vice versa
  • "Driving distance" search to hear callers beyond your immediate area code
  • Discreet billing descriptor "FIRST MEDIA" on credit card statements
  • Multiple payment options: PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover (US)
  • 24/7 availability with local US and Canada access numbers
  • Separate "Free Male Chat" line for men who want a zero-cost experience
  • Operated by First Media Group, a long-established portfolio operator (also runs Nightline, Lavalife, Hardline, Axxesschat)
Where It Falls Short
  • Per-minute rate is not published directly — priced as minute packages
  • Starter package ($9.99 / 20 minutes) is smaller than some competitors' entry packages
  • Active caller base is smaller than LiveLinks in the traditional category
  • Free trial is tied to your phone number — only issued once per number
  • No community-specific lines (Asian, BBW, Black, Gay, Lesbian, Latin) the way Hot Night Line segments its service
  • No way to pick a specific person to talk to — that's NiteFlirt's lane, not Quest's
  • Governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada — US callers should be aware
  • Starter package full price expires faster than higher-volume packages (smaller minute bucket)
Who It's For

Pick the Right One for You

MegaMates

Best For
  • Callers who prefer flat-rate unlimited-use packages over per-minute minute packages — no minute-counting mid-call
  • Callers who want to try a phone chat line with a genuinely large free feature set and no credit card required up front
  • Singles of any orientation (straight, gay, bi, lesbian) who want a single brand that serves all four audiences
  • Callers in one of the 75+ U.S. metros MegaMates covers who want a long-running (since 1993) voice-personals experience
  • Callers who value the Direct Connect 24/7 callback feature — the system can reach you even when you are not on the line
  • Callers who want discreet billing — "Progressive Computing LLC" on the statement plus a separate discreet billing department for questions
  • Callers who want to pay by cash-equivalent methods — Western Union, Check-by-Phone, and money order by mail are all supported
Skip If You Want
  • Callers who want a timed free-minutes trial (30–60 min) like the Teligence or FMG families offer — MegaMates' "free" is a feature menu, not a minute bucket
  • Callers who want to hear messages other callers send them for free — Message Retrieval is paid
  • Callers looking for a couples, BBW, Asian, Black, or Latin dedicated community line — MegaMates is organized by orientation, not community
  • Callers outside the U.S. — coverage is 75+ U.S. metros, with no Canadian or international local numbers documented on the official site
  • Callers who want a native iOS or Android mobile app experience — MegaMates is voice-first with a web self-service portal
  • Callers who want a single published per-minute rate to compare against competitors — MegaMates' pricing is flat-rate by duration, not per-minute

QuestChat

Best For
  • Singles who want the most established phone dating brand in North America
  • Callers who want a real mobile app alongside the classic phone-chat experience
  • Women looking for a phone dating line that is unconditionally free
  • First-time male callers who want a generous 30-minute trial plus 50% off their first buy
  • People who want to expand their search beyond their area code with "driving distance"
Skip If You Want
  • Callers who want community-specific lines — Hot Night Line serves those audiences better
  • Callers who want to pick a specific verified performer — that's NiteFlirt's category
  • Callers who want the absolute largest caller pool — LiveLinks has more volume
  • Anyone who wants a published fixed per-minute rate card up front
  • Callers who only want adult-leaning chat — QuestChat is positioned for phone dating, not adult content
Pricing & Free Trial

What Each Costs

MegaMates

MegaMates does not use the per-minute package model that dominates the chat-line category. Instead, paid members buy flat-rate unlimited-use passes for a set duration (24 hours, 1 week, or 1 month) and an unusually large feature set stays free with no credit card. The paid unlocks are primarily Message Retrieval (required to actually listen to messages other callers send you) plus unlimited outgoing Live Chat and Direct Connect. Pricing below reflects the official Features page as of 2026 — third-party chat-line directories sometimes cite per-minute packages that do not match the current flat-rate plans, so verify during the buy flow on secure.megamates.com.

Always Free (No Credit Card)
Mailbox + Public Message + Browsing + Sending Messages + Accepting Live Chat / Direct Connect + Matching Menu
Per the official FAQ and Features pages — MegaMates' biggest differentiator versus per-minute competitors
24-Hour Unlimited-Use Pass
$11.99
24 hours of unlimited Message Retrieval plus unlimited Live Chat and Direct Connect
1-Week Plan (Message Retrieval)
$19.99 (was $29.99)
1 week of unlimited Message Retrieval plus 3 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
1-Week Plan — "Most Popular"
$23.99
1 week of unlimited Message Retrieval plus unlimited Live Chat and Direct Connect plus 3 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
1-Month Plan (Message Retrieval)
$39.99 (was $69.99)
1 month of unlimited Message Retrieval plus 6 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
1-Month Plan — "Best Value"
$49.99
1 month of unlimited Message Retrieval plus unlimited Live Chat and Direct Connect plus 6 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
Pre-Paid Priority Messages
$11.00 / 10 or $18.00 / 20
Guarantees the recipient can hear your message even if they have not purchased Message Retrieval
Online Purchase Bonus
+2 Pre-Paid Priority Messages + 1 day Message Retrieval
Added to any package purchased at secure.megamates.com
Billing Descriptor
"Progressive Computing LLC"
Appears on your credit card statement in place of the MegaMates name
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, pre-paid cards, Check-by-Phone, Western Union, Check / Money Order by mail
Money orders and checks by mail go to Social Tech Unlimited, PO Box 23818, San Diego, CA 92193-3818
Inactivity Policy
3 months
Per the FAQ, mailboxes unused for 3 months are deactivated and any remaining time or Pre-Paid Priority Messages are forfeited

MegaMates uses flat-rate unlimited-use packages rather than per-minute minute packages. Third-party chat-line directories sometimes list per-minute pricing (e.g., $15.99 / 30 min, $25.99 / 60 min, $39.99 / 120 min) that does not match the current official Features page — verify the current package menu during the buy flow on secure.megamates.com or by calling customer service 24/7 at 1-888-MegaMates.

QuestChat

QuestChat uses the traditional package-based pricing model. Women always call free. First-time male callers get a 30-minute free trial, and converting to a paid membership with a credit card gets you 50% off your first package. Men who prefer zero-cost access can use the separate QuestChat Free Male Chat line.

First-Time Male Trial
30 minutes free
Issued automatically on first call from a new phone number; no credit card required
Women
Always free
No payment information required — ladies always chat free per the official FAQ
First-Time Paid Offer
50% off first package
Applied when you pay with a credit card on your first buy
20-Minute Package
$9.99
Entry package for new paid members
160-Minute Package
$24.50
Mid-tier package with a lower effective per-minute cost
420-Minute Package
$49.50
Best per-minute rate for higher-volume callers
Billing Descriptor
"FIRST MEDIA"
Appears on your credit card statement in place of the QuestChat name (per the official billing page)

QuestChat does not publish a single fixed per-minute rate on its buy page — costs depend on which minute package you pick. Pricing shown above reflects 2026 package rates widely cited by third-party chat-line directories; verify the current offer on questchat.com before purchasing. For billing questions, QuestChat publishes a customer service number at (888) 975-6565.

Bottom Line

QuestChat comes out on top

Across 6 scoring criteria, MegaMates wins 1, QuestChat wins 5. Read each full review for the complete context before deciding.

Read MegaMates Review Read QuestChat Review
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