Fan culture has been around for decades, and back in the day, the only way that fans could send their love and support to their favorite singers, actors, or bands was through fan mail sent to a specific address. But nowadays, real-time engagement and communication are easier, thanks to social media. The downside though to being on apps like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook is that for every fan that cheers for their artist, there is an anti-fan who thrives on posting rude or malicious comments.

According to a recent study, in an analysis of 11 billion mentions, it was found that social media has become considerably more negative in the past 5 years. Public figures are often the recipients of much-unwarranted hate and anger on social media, which is why they need a safe space where they can interact with their fans and supporters. Thankfully, there are a couple of apps where doing so is possible– here are the best Apple apps to interact with your favorite artists and bands.

Weverse is a social media platform for fans of K-pop bands such as BTS, Blackpink, TXT, and Le Sserafim, among others. The growth of Weverse users has been quite substantial, and in 2021, it was reported that there were over 38 million subscribers from more than 230 countries in the app. Fans merely have to sign up and enter their favorite band’s page, then they can leave comments on an artist’s posts and even have interactions with them. If you plan to create a Weverse account, be mindful about what you write, and if your iPhone keyboard is sluggish or doing bad autocorrections, then reset iPhone keyboard before commenting or creating a post.

This app is also great for consuming content from your favorite band, so one can watch videos and read articles about their activities and upcoming schedules. Fans can even watch live online concerts for free or for a fraction of the price of an in-person concert. Meanwhile, artists can go live and talk to their fans about their day or give them a heads-up about upcoming projects. Fans get notifications on their phone once their favorite artist is online so they never have to worry about missing a live stream. Best of all, Weverse has a shop where one can buy merch ranging from authentic albums to plushies and light sticks, making it a one-stop shop for any K-pop fan. You can download Weverse for free and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

Fan Pass is known as a music streaming app, but it’s also a platform that allows artists and their fans to interact. With this app, fans can get a first look at their favorite artist’s content and watch live concerts. They can also use the app to purchase tickets to live and online concerts and meet other fans who want to create a positive and healthy digital community within the fandom. You can subscribe to Fan Pass Live for $2.99 a month for their basic package, and the app is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

For fans who want to communicate in real-time with their favorites, there’s the newly-launched Ultra Messenger App. It’s an audience monetization app specifically created for creative professionals, and verified users can text and call their fans. However, each text comes with a fee per message, while audio or video calls get charged per second.

Thanks to modern technology, staying connected with artists and fellow fans is easier than ever. Consider downloading any of these iPhone apps to support your favorite artist or band and experience the joys of being part of a fandom.