Comparison

Mona Classic vs Thunder for Lemmy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mona Classic

This app offers extensive customization for a popular social network, allowing users to reorder actions, set swipe gestures, and personalize notes for other users. It also features iCloud sync, game controller support, and privacy-focused design.

Highlights
  • Customizable post actions and swipe gestures
  • iCloud sync for settings and data
  • Private user notes and aliases
  • Game controller support
  • Full-screen and column view modes
  • Customizable themes and accent colors
Features
Read full description

Mona is a highly customizable Mastodon app with VoiceOver optimization and native design. Post Actions • Drag actions into the order you prefer • Configure actions as swipe options: swipe a post horizontally to perform an action • Optionally hide some or all action buttons from post cards, while keeping them accessible via context menu, swipe options, keyboard shortcuts, and VoiceOver rotor iCloud Sync • Sync your mute list, user notes, reading positions, drafts, search history, accent colors, and custom app themes across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, privately and securely • Optionally disable some features from automatic syncing User Notes • Privately set aliases, notes and username colors for other Mastodon users • User Notes list: browse, organize and edit all your notes in one place Game Controller (require iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS 11 or a newer system) • Control the app and browse posts with a compatible game controller, such as a Playstation DualSense/DualShock, Nintendo Switch, Xbox or MFi controller • Customize button functions via in-app settings • Set extra functions for Adaptive Triggers on the Playstation DualSense controller Privacy • Mona does not collect any personal information • Your account tokens are protected by on-device Keychain • Your network connections to Mastodon servers are protected by HTTPS Other Mona features: • Full Screen mode on iPhone let your timeline content fill the entire screen once you start scrolling • Column View takes full advantage of the big screen on iPad and Mac, shows multiple views at once and allows you to navigate between views fluently and efficiently • Check recent posts on your home screen or notification center with widgets • Search posts on the Timeline • Adjustable text spacing • Adjustable and adaptive text sizes • Option to display post source on timeline (e.g. Mona for Mac) • Share a post as picture • Open multiple windows on iPad and Mac • Customizable text translation experience • Automatic video and GIF playback on timelines • Supports changing app icon on iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Turn on/off content scaling on Mac for extra screen estate or sharper text • Autocomplete for post composer • Push notifications • Lock the app with Face ID or Touch ID • Mona Pro and Mona Pro Max available as one-time in-app purchases, with 14-day free trial Tab Bar (Mona Pro feature) • Pin your frequently visit pages to the tab bar • Drag tabs into the order you prefer • Rename your tabs • Change your tab icons (more than a thousand of icons for you to choose) • Show/hide tab names and button shapes Accent Color (Mona Pro feature) • Configure different Accent Colors for Light and Dark mode • More than 10 built-in colors for you to choose • Design and set custom colors Theme Editor (Mona Pro feature) • Customize the app’s color scheme • Design and set custom themes • Advanced color settings allow you to fine-tune colors for different level of views • Export and share your custom themes • Import custom themes shared by other people Font Customization (Mona Pro feature) • Configure different fonts for body text and headings • Select from a variety of build-in fonts • Supports custom fonts installed by third-party apps Other Mona Pro features: • Full-featured post composer: write longer posts, attach pictures and videos, create polls, schedule post, and automatic thread conversion • More post actions: including favorite, repost, quote post, add bookmark, and translate • Add multiple accounts: you can also opt to favorite, repost, quote post, or follow using a non-current account • Filter and mute: filter timelines based on post category and content; hide posts with certain words; hide posts from certain people • Customize push notifications based on notification category • Export and import settings: easily transfer your custom settings between multiple devices Customer support: • Mastodon: @MonaApp@mastodon.social • Email: theSpringApp@gmail.com

About

Thunder for Lemmy

An open-source client for exploring the fediverse, offering multi-account support and extensive customization. Navigate communities, posts, and comments with swipe gestures and a Safari extension for seamless linking. Still in early development with more features planned.

Highlights
  • Open source client
  • Multi-account support
  • Customizable settings
  • Swipe gestures
  • Safari extension
Features
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Thunder is an open source Lemmy/PieFed client for the fediverse, fully free of advertisements and trackers. Here's a peek at what Thunder offers: - Multi-account support: Login to all your accounts, and switch between them at ease - Fully customizable settings: Choose your own splash of accent, customize your own gestures, and much more - Swipe gestures: Navigate and interact with your favourite communities, posts, and comments all through customizable swipe gestures. - Safari extension: Opens Lemmy links in Thunder Thunder is still very early on in development and many more features are yet to be available!

Screenshots

Mona Classic4 screens
Thunder for Lemmy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mona Classic at 4.4 against Thunder for Lemmy's 3.6. Mona Classic also leads on ratings volume (166 vs 14). Thunder for Lemmy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mona Classic sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Thunder for Lemmy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mona Classic holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mona Classic has 166 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 71% and 71% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mona Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, Thunder for Lemmy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Mona Classic versus Thunder for Lemmy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMona ClassicThunder for Lemmy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (166 ratings) — better3.6 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews70.5% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings166 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB45 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperJunyu KuangHamlet Jiang Su

Customer experience

Mona Classic

All ratings166 ratings
Positive85.5%
Neutral2.4%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews146 reviews
Positive70.5%
Neutral7.5%
Negative21.9%

Thunder for Lemmy

All ratings13 ratings
Positive69.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.8%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

Bugs and requests

Mona Classic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Locking up after viewing full-screen photos
  • Replies not loading properly
  • Inconsistent behavior with server-side features

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to mute individual posts
  • Improved thread viewing experience
  • More app icon options
  • Custom notification sounds

Thunder for Lemmy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Mona Classic

One-time9
  • Mona Pro Max (14-day trial)Free
  • Small Tip$2.99
  • Generous Tip$6.99
Show 6 more
  • Amazing Tip$9.99
  • Upgrade to Mona Pro Max$9.99
  • Mona Pro for Mac$11.99
  • Mona Pro for iPad$11.99
  • Mona Pro for iPhone$11.99
  • Mona Pro Max$29.99
None

Thunder for Lemmy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mona Classic free?
Mona Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Thunder for Lemmy free?
Thunder for Lemmy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Mona Classic or Thunder for Lemmy?
Mona Classic is rated higher. Mona Classic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Thunder for Lemmy averages 3.6 from 14 ratings.
Do Mona Classic or Thunder for Lemmy have ads?
Neither Mona Classic nor Thunder for Lemmy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mona Classic or Thunder for Lemmy?
Mona Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Thunder for Lemmy every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mona Classic was updated on October 27, 2026 and Thunder for Lemmy on October 24, 2026.

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