# CounterSocial vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CounterSocial at 71% against Mastodon's 48%. CounterSocial also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). Mastodon's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (13K vs 490). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Mastodon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastodon has 13K ratings behind it against 490, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of CounterSocial'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.

## The numbers

| Metric | CounterSocial | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (490 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countersocial/id1543783578/reviews) | **[4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 490 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **70.8% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | — | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Jay Bauer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1543783580) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### CounterSocial

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countersocial/id1543783578)

This platform offers a unique social network experience free from trolls, abuse, ads, and fake news. It actively counters foreign influence operations and disinformation by empowering users to control the content they see. User data is never mined or sold.

**Highlights:** Zero-tolerance for trolls and abuse, No ads or promoted content, Combats fake news and disinformation, Crowd-powered by users, User data is not mined or sold

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and stable app
- 🔒 Secure and private platform
- 👍 Welcoming and friendly community
- 👍 No bots, trolls, or ads
- 👍 Ability to curate own feed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional technical issues during growth periods
- 🔒 Strict content moderation may be seen as limiting by some
- 🔍 Limited search and discovery features

**Reported bugs**

- Verification email not received
- App crashes or freezes on some devices

**Requested features**

- iPad app support
- Improved search and discovery tools
- Expanded customization options


### 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 CounterSocial free?

CounterSocial 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, CounterSocial or Mastodon?

Mastodon is rated higher. CounterSocial averages 4.2 out of 5 from 490 ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

### Do CounterSocial or Mastodon have ads?

Neither CounterSocial nor Mastodon shows ads.

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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.*