StarPterano vs Oxpecker for Mastodon
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
StarPterano
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StarPterano is a client application for Mastodon, a distributed social networking service. It features a large amount of information that can be viewed, a light operation feel, and a wealth of unique functions. γFeatures of StarPteranoγ The timeline is displayed in full screen, and can be displayed in multi-columns on the iPad. The background color of selected posts on the timeline changes, as does the color of related posts. Pinch in/out to show/uncheck mini-view for quick viewing of a large number of posts. Pinch out to zoom in and out to see even hard-to-see custom emojis. Pinch out to zoom in and out to see custom emojis that are hard to see. Swipe left or right to switch between multiple accounts easily. A variety of settings are available, including text and icon size, freely selectable accent colors, and relative/absolute time display. Post input can be done while displaying the timeline. Streaming support Automatic CW expansion Long text is automatically displayed with its height limited so that it does not get in the way. Supports custom emoji animations. γSupported featuresγ Use of multiple accounts, reply/boost/favorite/bookmark operations for posts on different accounts Timeline streaming Display of custom emoji, emoji picker Post posting functions (images, public range, CW, NSFW) Boosting, favoriting, and bookmarking See who has favorite/boosted a post Conversation display with in_reply_to Animated display of icons and custom emoji Video playback, video posting (compressed) Post GIF animations List function Search function for tags, users, and posts Profile editing Integrated local and home view Reserved postings Polls (post polls, view polls, participate in polls) Editing of posts NowPlaying post, which allows you to post the name of the song that is currently playing. Custom emoji picker γ»Display reply destinations and hashtag and emoji suggestions while typing from "@", "#", and ":". Follow hashtags Explore trending posts, hashtags, news, and recommended users Translation function Emoji reactions (Only servers that support fedibird API) γNotesγ Push notification function is not supported. Filtering function is not supported.
Oxpecker for Mastodon
This app provides a Mastodon client for Apple Watch, allowing users to browse timelines, view media, and create posts directly from their wrist. It supports custom emojis and link previews, with some features requiring a subscription.
- Standalone Apple Watch functionality
- Custom emoji rendering
- Media attachment viewing (images, video, GIFs, audio)
- Link previews
- Post creation
- Timeline browsing (home, local, federated)
- Poll reactions
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Oxpeckers are small birds that hold symbiotic relationships with certain animals such as giraffes, buffalos and elephants... The app's named after the bird, as it pecks data on the federated elephant network, on the Apple Watch. Oxpecker is a new Mastodon client, designed for the Apple Watch. WORKS STANDALONE Oxpecker on the Apple Watch can work on its own, after the initial sign in via its companion iOS app. If you have a cellular plan, you can read and send Mastodon posts, just with the watch alone. CUSTOM EMOJIS Unlike other clients for the Apple Watch, Oxpecker supports rendering of custom emojis in posts, represented as :shortcode: in Mastodon, bringing you the full browsing experience, like never before on an Apple Watch. MEDIA CONTENT Oxpecker supports viewing of media attachments, such as images, video, GIFs and audio. Images can even be zoomed in and out, letting you see the details. Alt text can be read as well. If a post has more than one^ media attachments, Oxpecker displays it too. BROWSE LINKS Did your friend posted content with a link? Go ahead and click on it, to open a quick web preview to see what itβs about. CREATE POSTS^ Needed to make a quick post on the go? Type and send it, directly with Oxpecker. NOTIFICATIONS^ Fear of missing out? Fred not, as Oxpecker notifies you of the latest happenings of your Mastodon account, as it happens. DYNAMIC TYPE Prefer a larger font size, Oxpecker supports it. If necessary, Oxpecker goes one step further, by allowing you to scale the font size to your liking. SUPERIOR BROWSING With Oxpecker, you can browse your home, local and federated timelines, view user profiles, #hashtag timelines, prior notifications, and comments of each post. POLL REACTIONS Polls in posts are supported, letting you vote^ for your preferred option. MORE FOR THE FUTURE Oxpecker is planned with more features to come in the future, with the goal of matching feature sets similar to regular Mastodon clients. β ^Some features require an active subscription. With a subscription, you would be able to send posts, view more than the first media of every post, vote in polls, reply, repost, favourite or bookmark posts, enable notifications, future feature updates, as well as to support the development and maintenance efforts to keep Oxpecker going! β Note: In order to use Oxpecker without an iPhone in close proximity, a cellular-enabled Apple Watch is needed, with an active cellular plan and connection. App developed and designed in Singapore. Privacy Policy: https://oxpecker.social/privacy Terms (Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StarPterano at none against Oxpecker for Mastodon's 2. StarPterano also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Oxpecker for Mastodon sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. StarPterano asks for nothing beyond the download.
StarPterano ships an update every 4 days, Oxpecker for Mastodon every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StarPterano | Oxpecker for Mastodon |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | β | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days β better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No β better | Yes |
| Monetization | β | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac β better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 β better | 17.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 82 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | SEGO Takayoshi | Vincent Neo |
In-app purchases
StarPterano
No in-app purchases
Oxpecker for Mastodon
- Oxpecker for watchOS (Monthly)7 Days trial$0.991 Month
- Oxpecker for watchOS (Annual)7 Days trial$6.991 Year
Questions
Is StarPterano free?
Is Oxpecker for Mastodon free?
Do StarPterano or Oxpecker for Mastodon have ads?
Which is updated more often, StarPterano or Oxpecker for Mastodon?
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