# APPICS vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is review sentiment: APPICS at 90% against Mastodon's 48%. APPICS also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). Mastodon's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. APPICS sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Mastodon asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mastodon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastodon has 13K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of APPICS's written reviews are positive against 48% of Mastodon's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

APPICS ships an update every 3 weeks, Mastodon monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | APPICS | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/appics/id1353860042/reviews) | **[4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **89.7% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 207 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [APPICS AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1353860041) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### APPICS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/appics/id1353860042)

This app rewards users for their time and contributions to social media through a decentralized system. Share photos and short videos, engage with content through upvotes and comments, and earn tokens that can be exchanged or staked. The more active you are, the greater your influence and rewards.

**Highlights:** Decentralized contribution-reward-system, Earn APX tokens for content and upvotes, Share photos and short videos, Upvote and comment on content, In-app wallet for token management, Stake tokens to increase voting power

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| variable_229_99 | $229.99 | one-time |
| variable_239_99 | $239.99 | one-time |
| variable_249_99 | $249.99 | one-time |
| variable_399_99 | $399.99 | one-time |
| variable_499_99 | $499.99 | one-time |
| variable_599_99 | $599.99 | one-time |
| variable_699_99 | $699.99 | one-time |
| variable_799_99 | $799.99 | one-time |
| variable_899_99 | $899.99 | one-time |
| variable_999_99 | $999.99 | one-time |


### 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 APPICS free?

APPICS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mastodon free?

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

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

Mastodon is rated higher. APPICS averages 4.0 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

### Do APPICS or Mastodon have ads?

APPICS shows ads; Mastodon does not.

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

APPICS ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mastodon monthly. Most recently, APPICS was updated on September 29, 2026 and Mastodon on October 19, 2026.

---

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