# Keybase vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is rating: Mastodon at 4.5 against Keybase's 3.5. Mastodon also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 323) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Keybase's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Mastodon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastodon has 13K ratings behind it against 323, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Keybase's written reviews are positive against 48% of Mastodon's.

Keybase ships an update every 3 months, Mastodon monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Keybase | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (323 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keybase-crypto-for-everyone/id1044461770/reviews) | **[4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 323 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | 42.5% of reviews | **48.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 127 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Keybase, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1044460764) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### Keybase

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keybase-crypto-for-everyone/id1044461770)

Securely message anyone on social media or other platforms without needing their personal contact information. All communications are end-to-end encrypted and accessible across multiple devices. This open-source platform is free and ad-free for all users.

**Highlights:** Secure messaging to social media users, End-to-end encryption, Multi-device support, Open source, Ad-free

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure communication
- 👍 Useful features like cloud storage and git repos
- 💡 Innovative crypto integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Lack of iPad support
- 👎 Sluggish performance

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Messaging issues and lost chats
- Unreliable file sharing

**Requested features**

- Add iPad app support
- Improve message threading and navigation
- Integrate with more social platforms
- Add password manager functionality


### Mastodon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974)

Connect with others on a decentralized social network. Share posts, images, and videos in chronological order without algorithms or ads. Discover new content and participate in conversations across the fediverse.

**Highlights:** Chronological feed, No algorithms or ads, Discover new users and topics, Post with images, videos, and polls, Create custom lists, Filter content, Cross-platform communication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Friendly and welcoming community
- 🚀 Decentralized and free from corporate control
- 🔒 No data collection or ads
- 🤖 Good alternative to Twitter
- 💡 Ability to self-host servers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Confusing onboarding and server selection
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to web version
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and following people
- 🕰️ Slow or delayed notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Can't log in or create account
- Keyboard freezes during editing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching accounts
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add local and federated timelines
- Improve search and discovery features
- Implement edit and delete post functionality
- Add support for animated GIFs
- Provide better accessibility options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Keybase free?

Keybase is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mastodon free?

Mastodon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Keybase or Mastodon?

Mastodon is rated higher. Keybase averages 3.5 out of 5 from 323 ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

### Do Keybase or Mastodon have ads?

Neither Keybase nor Mastodon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Keybase or Mastodon?

Keybase ships an update every 3 months, and Mastodon monthly. Most recently, Keybase was updated on October 24, 2026 and Mastodon on October 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*