# Olvid vs Synod.im

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Synod.im at none against Olvid's 4. Synod.im also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). Olvid's advantage is ratings volume (42 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Olvid sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. Synod.im asks for nothing beyond the download.

Synod.im holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Olvid has 42 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Olvid's written reviews are positive against 100% of Synod.im's.

Olvid ships an update every 6 weeks, Synod.im every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Olvid | Synod.im |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/olvid/id1414865219/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synodim/id1488171544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **42** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 141 MB | 157 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Olvid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470363343) | [Christoph Settgast](https://appshunter.io/developer/1488171543) |

## What reviewers say

### Olvid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/olvid/id1414865219)

This private messaging app prioritizes user control and security. It does not require personal data, push contacts, or allow unsolicited messages. Enjoy secure, end-to-end encrypted conversations with guaranteed privacy.

**Highlights:** No personal data required, User-controlled contacts, No unsolicited messages, End-to-end encryption, End-to-end authentication, Group creation, No spam or advertising

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Individual | $4.49 | per month |
| Family | $5.99 | per month |
| Individual | $44.90 | per year |
| Family | $59.90 | per year |


### Synod.im

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synodim/id1488171544)

This app allows participation in a federated messaging system, offering a Matrix-compatible messenger. It connects to a default server but supports others, serving as a fork of a popular iOS client.

**Highlights:** Matrix-compatible messaging, Federated system participation, Customizable homeserver, Fork of Element iOS, Decentralized communication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Olvid free?

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

### Is Synod.im free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Olvid or Synod.im?

Synod.im is rated higher. Olvid averages 4.5 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Synod.im averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do Olvid or Synod.im have ads?

Neither Olvid nor Synod.im shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Olvid or Synod.im?

Olvid ships an update every 6 weeks, and Synod.im every 2 months. Most recently, Olvid was updated on October 16, 2026 and Synod.im on October 1, 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.*