# Synod.im vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Synod.im at 100% against Mastodon's 48%. Synod.im also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Mastodon's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 5). On price, update cadence, 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.

Synod.im holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastodon has 13K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Synod.im's written reviews are positive against 48% of Mastodon's.

Synod.im ships an update every 2 months, Mastodon monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Synod.im | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synodim/id1488171544/reviews)** | [4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 157 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Christoph Settgast](https://appshunter.io/developer/1488171543) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### 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 Synod.im free?

Synod.im 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, Synod.im or Mastodon?

Synod.im is rated higher. Synod.im averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

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

Neither Synod.im nor Mastodon shows ads.

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

Synod.im ships an update every 2 months, and Mastodon monthly. Most recently, Synod.im was updated on October 1, 2026 and Mastodon on October 17, 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.*