Comparison

Jami vs Damus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Jami

This is a free communication platform prioritizing privacy through end-to-end encryption. It offers secure instant messaging, audio/video calls, and file sharing. The app supports multi-device usage and can function as a SIP client.

Highlights
  • Instant messaging
  • Audio and video calls
  • Photo and file sharing
  • Group conversations
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Multi-device support
  • SIP client functionality
Features
Read full description

Jami is a free, unified communication platform that puts privacy first. Built on end-to-end encryption, Jami keeps your conversations secure and your personal data private. Features: - Instant messaging - Audio and video calls - Photo and file sharing - Group conversations and video conferences - End-to-end encrypted communications Multi-device support: - Use Jami on multiple devices - Sync your conversations seamlessly - Link devices to your account Additional capabilities: - Works as a SIP client For more information, visit https://jami.net Jami is published under the GPL license, version 3 or higher. Copyright © Savoir-faire Linux Inc.

About

Damus

A decentralized social network offering full control over your data and speech. Enjoy end-to-end encrypted messaging, no registration requirements, and seamless integration with bots. Monetize your interactions by tipping friends with lightning.

Highlights
  • Decentralized social network
  • End-to-end encrypted messaging
  • No registration required
  • Programmable bots integration
  • Lightning tipping for friends
Features
Read full description

The social network you control. It's your very own Social Network for your friends or business. Built on open internet protocols, there is no platform that can ban or censor you. You are in control of your data & speech. - Encrypted. End-to-End encrypted private messaging. Keep big tech out of your DMs. - No registration required. Creating an account doesn't require a phone number, email or name. Get started right away with zero friction. - Messages are distributed via decentralized relays. No need to run any infrastructure and there are no single points of failure. Simple! - Programmable. Easily integrate bots that automate your life or business. Get notified when your servers go down, retweet to your team and collaborate in realtime. - Tip your friends and stack sats with lightning. Privacy policy: https://damus.io/privacy-policy.txt Terms of service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Jami4 screens
Damus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Damus at 4.8 against Jami's 3.7. Damus also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 41%) and ratings volume (675 vs 90). Jami's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Damus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Jami asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Damus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Damus has 675 ratings behind it against 90, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Jami's written reviews are positive against 78% of Damus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jami ships an update every 3 weeks, Damus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Jami versus Damus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJamiDamus
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (90 ratings)4.8 (675 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.8% of reviews78.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings90675 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size112 MB98 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperSavoir-faire LinuxDamus Nostr, Inc

Customer experience

Jami

All ratings90 ratings
Positive64.4%
Neutral10.0%
Negative25.6%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive40.8%
Neutral14.2%
Negative45.0%

Damus

All ratings675 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.9%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews168 reviews
Positive78.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative13.7%

Bugs and requests

Jami

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Damus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to post or view content
  • Inconsistent performance on older devices
  • Issues with connecting to relays

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add polls and voting features
  • Improve search and content discovery
  • Implement user-controlled moderation tools
  • Add support for more languages

In-app purchases

None

Jami

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Damus

Subscriptions2
  • Purple$9.991 Month
  • Purple Yearly$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Jami free?
Jami is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Damus free?
Damus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Jami or Damus?
Damus is rated higher. Jami averages 3.7 out of 5 from 90 ratings, while Damus averages 4.8 from 675 ratings.
Do Jami or Damus have ads?
Neither Jami nor Damus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jami or Damus?
Jami ships an update every 3 weeks, and Damus every 2 months. Most recently, Jami was updated on September 24, 2026 and Damus on September 25, 2026.

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