diff --git a/schema.ts b/schema.ts
index 2fb660b..ed5c477 100644
--- a/schema.ts
+++ b/schema.ts
@@ -8,19 +8,6 @@
 
 // Firestore
 const collection = {
-  chats: [
-    {
-      roomId: {
-        messages: [
-          {
-            content: 'Message content',
-            createdAt: 'timestamp',
-            senderId: 'userId',
-          },
-        ],
-      },
-    },
-  ],
   playlists: [
     {
       roomId: {
@@ -71,6 +58,17 @@ const turtle = {
     },
   },
 
+  // Keep chats in Realtime DB could potentially lower cost
+  chats: {
+    roomId: {
+      messageId: {
+        content: 'Message content',
+        senderId: 'userId',
+        createdAt: 'timestamp',
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
   // Keeping track of which users are present in a room
   rooms: {
     roomId: {
diff --git a/src/components/Chatbox.tsx b/src/components/Chatbox.tsx
index a934e23..4adcc97 100644
--- a/src/components/Chatbox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Chatbox.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { IonCard, IonFabButton, IonFooter, IonIcon, IonInput, IonToolbar } from '@ionic/react';
 import { sendOutline } from 'ionicons/icons';
 import React, { useState } from 'react';
-import { db, arrayUnion } from '../services/firebase';
+import { rtdb } from '../services/firebase';
 import './Chatbox.css';
 import Messages from './Messages';
 import OnlineList from './OnlineList';
@@ -19,16 +19,11 @@ const Chat: React.FC<ChatboxProps> = ({ ownerId, roomId, userId, userList }) =>
   // Send message to database
   const sendMessage = async () => {
     if (message !== '') {
-      await db
-        .collection('chats')
-        .doc(roomId)
-        .update({
-          messages: arrayUnion({
-            createdAt: Date.now(),
-            senderId: userId,
-            content: message,
-          }),
-        });
+      await rtdb.ref('/chats/' + roomId).push({
+        content: message,
+        createdAt: Date.now(),
+        senderId: userId,
+      });
 
       // Reset textarea field
       setMessage('');
diff --git a/src/components/Messages.tsx b/src/components/Messages.tsx
index 961e5bc..4192736 100644
--- a/src/components/Messages.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Messages.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { IonCol, IonContent, IonGrid, IonRow } from '@ionic/react';
 import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-import { db, arrayUnion } from '../services/firebase';
+import { db, arrayUnion, rtdb } from '../services/firebase';
 import './Messages.css';
 import { secondsToTimestamp } from '../services/utilities';
 
@@ -37,31 +37,22 @@ const Messages: React.FC<MessagesProps> = ({ ownerId, roomId, userId, userList }
 
   // Listen for new chat messages
   useEffect(() => {
-    const chatUnsubscribe = db
-      .collection('chats')
-      .doc(roomId)
-      .onSnapshot((docSnapshot) => {
-        const data = docSnapshot.data();
-        if (data !== undefined) {
-          const messages = data.messages;
-
-          let arr: Message[] = [];
-          for (const msg of messages) {
-            if (msg.createdAt > joinTime) {
-              arr.push({
-                content: msg.content,
-                createdAt: msg.createdAt,
-                id: msg.senderId + msg.createdAt,
-                senderId: msg.senderId,
-              });
-            }
-          }
-          setChats(arr);
-        }
+    rtdb.ref('/chats/' + roomId).on('value', (snapshot) => {
+      let arr: Message[] = [];
+      snapshot.forEach((child) => {
+        const msg = child.val();
+        arr.push({
+          content: msg.content,
+          createdAt: msg.createdAt,
+          id: msg.senderId + msg.createdAt,
+          senderId: msg.senderId,
+        });
       });
+      setChats(arr);
+    });
 
     return () => {
-      chatUnsubscribe();
+      rtdb.ref('/chats/' + roomId).off('value');
     };
   }, [roomId, joinTime]);
 
@@ -142,22 +133,24 @@ const Messages: React.FC<MessagesProps> = ({ ownerId, roomId, userId, userList }
     return name;
   };
 
+  const renderMessages = () => {
+    return allMessages
+      .sort((msg1, msg2) => msg1.createdAt - msg2.createdAt)
+      .map((msg) => {
+        return (
+          <IonRow key={msg.id} class={msg.senderId === userId ? 'right-align' : ''}>
+            <IonCol size="auto" class={msg.senderId === userId ? 'my-msg' : 'other-msg'}>
+              {getName(msg.senderId) !== '' ? <b>{getName(msg.senderId)}: </b> : <></>}
+              <span>{msg.content}</span>
+            </IonCol>
+          </IonRow>
+        );
+      });
+  };
+
   return (
     <IonContent class="message-card" ref={contentRef}>
-      <IonGrid class="message-grid">
-        {allMessages
-          .sort((msg1, msg2) => msg1.createdAt - msg2.createdAt)
-          .map((msg) => {
-            return (
-              <IonRow key={msg.id} class={msg.senderId === userId ? 'right-align' : ''}>
-                <IonCol size="auto" class={msg.senderId === userId ? 'my-msg' : 'other-msg'}>
-                  {getName(msg.senderId) !== '' ? <b>{getName(msg.senderId)}: </b> : <></>}
-                  <span>{msg.content}</span>
-                </IonCol>
-              </IonRow>
-            );
-          })}
-      </IonGrid>
+      <IonGrid class="message-grid">{userList.size === 0 ? <span>Loading...</span> : renderMessages()}</IonGrid>
     </IonContent>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/pages/Home.tsx b/src/pages/Home.tsx
index f5f35f0..ad92908 100644
--- a/src/pages/Home.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Home.tsx
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ const Home: React.FC = () => {
       requests: [],
       state: { time: 0, isPlaying: false },
     });
-    await db.collection('chats').doc(roomId.id).set({
-      messages: [],
-    });
     await db.collection('playlists').doc(roomId.id).set({
       createdAt: timestamp,
       url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEfDYMngJeE',
@@ -35,6 +32,7 @@ const Home: React.FC = () => {
     // RealTimeDB preparations
     await rtdb.ref('/rooms/' + roomId.id).set({ userCount: 0 });
     await rtdb.ref('/available/' + roomId.id).set({ name: 'Room Name', createdAt: new Date().toISOString() });
+    await rtdb.ref('/chats/' + roomId.id).set({ content: 'created a room.', createdAt: Date.now(), senderId: userId });
     const path = '/room/' + roomId.id;
 
     return history.push(path);
diff --git a/src/pages/Room.tsx b/src/pages/Room.tsx
index 82555c6..c65a18e 100644
--- a/src/pages/Room.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Room.tsx
@@ -114,10 +114,11 @@ const Room: React.FC<RouteComponentProps<{ roomId: string }>> = ({ match }) => {
   // Handle disconnect events
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!loading && userId !== '' && validRoom) {
-      const depopulateRoom = async () => {
+      const depopulate = async () => {
         const refUser = rtdb.ref('/rooms/' + roomId + '/' + userId);
         const refRoom = rtdb.ref('/rooms/' + roomId);
         const refAvailable = rtdb.ref('/available/' + roomId);
+        const refChat = rtdb.ref('/chats/' + roomId);
 
         // Always remove user from room on disconnect
         await refRoom.onDisconnect().update({ userCount: decrement });
@@ -127,15 +128,17 @@ const Room: React.FC<RouteComponentProps<{ roomId: string }>> = ({ match }) => {
         if (userCount <= 1) {
           await refRoom.onDisconnect().remove();
           await refAvailable.onDisconnect().remove();
+          await refChat.onDisconnect().remove();
         } else {
-          await refRoom.onDisconnect().cancel(); // Cancels all disconnect actions at and under refRoom
+          await refRoom.onDisconnect().cancel(); // Cancel all disconnect actions
           await refAvailable.onDisconnect().cancel();
+          await refChat.onDisconnect().cancel();
           await refRoom.onDisconnect().update({ userCount: decrement }); // User disconnect still needs to be handled
           await refUser.onDisconnect().remove();
         }
       };
 
-      depopulateRoom();
+      depopulate();
     }
   }, [userId, validRoom, roomId, loading, userCount]);