Review
Tiny Chat is an online video chat community, where you can meet new people just like you! The whole thing works by creating a room with a live video link, then promoting your room in order to gain popularity. Almost like a live video rating/popularity feed – it takes time but it’s a lot of fun!
The Tiny Chat Brand
Unfortunately for users, Tiny Chat is one of those services you have to pay for in order to get the most out of it. Packages range from GOLD to EXTREME and then PRO. The benefits aren’t lengthy despite the asking price. Perhaps the best feature is the removal of advertisements, which can be annoying. The video quality is improved too, so that might make the cost worth it for some people.
Registration
It is not immediately obvious that you have to sign up when you first access the Tiny Chat website. You only find this information out once you fail to enter a room for this reason. The registration form is relatively clean and simple, with minimal personal details required to join. Simply enter a username, your email address and chosen password. You can even join using Facebook for ultimate convenience.
Next, you’re faced with this. The task of uploading a profile image and providing some further details about yourself. A lot of other websites in the same category offer the option to skip this step, but this is not the case on Tiny Chat. This is annoying if you’re a bit indecisive at this moment – but very good for the quality of the website. This ensures every member has a photo uploaded!
Desktop/Mobile Capability
You can access the mobile version of the site, which works seamlessly. Alternatively, you can use the app which is available on both iOS and Android devices. Top marks all round for having such great mobile functionality! In truth, Tiny Chat actually works a lot better on mobile devices than it does a desktop.
User Experience
This is a chat service with a difference – it’s all about promoting your particular room to the top so more people join. Almost like an online popularity contest! It offers you the chance to create your own virtual space on any topic or category. Each chat room contains a rolling maximum of 12 video feeds at one time. It also offers dozens of simultaneous audio feeds.
On a mobile, the experience is a slick, smooth and enjoyable one. On a desktop, you may run into connection issues and other site related problems. Aside from that, the user experience on Tiny Chat is actually quite good. The approach is quite unique and everything about the site is a little different to what you’ve seen before. We really enjoyed our time here, once we got things working!
Safety and Security
The Tiny Chat site contains a privacy policy and a terms of service document, as you’d expect to see on almost any public facing site these days. Aside from this, there is very little else in terms of safety information or helpful tips on how to remain secure when chatting online. Not the greatest level of support here by no means!
Customer Service
There is an online support section with recent announcements and an FAQ section. You may find an answer to what you’re looking for in here. If not, we’re not sure what else you can do really. There is obvious no way to contact the site owners; unless you try to reach them via their social media channels. This doesn’t shoe the greatest level of support from the webmasters, which is a little disappointing.
Conclusion
Tiny Chat would score really, really highly on ease of use and user experience – if the website didn’t suffer so many connection issues! It is such a shame too because otherwise, the website is slick and really easy to navigate. Those pesky connection issues let it down! This doesn’t seem to happen to all members though, as the site does have a very loyal fan base with member satisfaction set at high levels. Perhaps these are the VIP members?
Which brings us on to cost – you do have to pay to get the most out of Tiny Chat. This is another downside, considering what seems like an obvious lack of customer support on the site. If you are a paying member, you expect at least to see a contact page where you can raise an issue.
For all of these reasons, we believe Tiny Chat is better than your average cam-based chat service. The approach is unique yet faltered at times – so we’re giving this one a 5.5!
