# AirChat vs Damus

The clearest difference is rating: Damus at 4.8 against AirChat's 4.3. Damus also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 47%) and ratings volume (673 vs 36). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AirChat sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Damus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Damus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Damus has 673 ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of AirChat's written reviews are positive against 79% of Damus's.

AirChat ships an update every 5 weeks, Damus every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AirChat | Damus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airchat-local-chat/id1606916296/reviews) | **[4.8 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/damus/id1628663131/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 36 | **673** |
| Positive reviews | 47.4% of reviews | **78.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Mark DiFranco](https://appshunter.io/developer/515867092) | [Damus Nostr, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1510689510) |

## What reviewers say

### AirChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airchat-local-chat/id1606916296)

Communicate with others nearby using WiFi or Bluetooth, even without an internet connection. Share messages, photos, and engage in group chats or private messages. Enjoy games and utilize multi-window features on your iPad.

**Highlights:** Internet-free messaging, Photo sharing, Group and private chats, In-app games, iPad multi-window support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Game - Word Attack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $5.99 | one-time |


### Damus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/damus/id1628663131)

A decentralized social network offering full control over your data and speech. Enjoy end-to-end encrypted messaging, no registration requirements, and seamless integration with bots. Monetize your interactions by tipping friends with lightning.

**Highlights:** Decentralized social network, End-to-end encrypted messaging, No registration required, Programmable bots integration, Lightning tipping for friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purple | $9.99 | per month |
| Purple Yearly | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Censorship-resistant
- 💰 Bitcoin/Lightning integration
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 🌐 Decentralized protocol

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited search/discovery features
- 💬 Lack of moderation tools

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to post or view content
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
- Issues with connecting to relays

**Requested features**

- Add polls and voting features
- Improve search and content discovery
- Implement user-controlled moderation tools
- Add support for more languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AirChat free?

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

### Is Damus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AirChat or Damus?

Damus is rated higher. AirChat averages 4.3 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Damus averages 4.8 from 673 ratings.

### Do AirChat or Damus have ads?

Neither AirChat nor Damus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AirChat or Damus?

AirChat ships an update every 5 weeks, and Damus every 2 months. Most recently, AirChat was updated on October 30, 2026 and Damus on October 30, 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.*