Comparison

Mona Classic vs Arctic 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

Arctic For Lemmy

This native iOS client provides a private and ad-free way to experience the Fediverse. Browse feeds with embedded content, engage in conversations with a rich markdown editor, and enjoy customizable features for seamless navigation and notifications.

Highlights
  • Ad-free and tracker-free experience
  • Native media viewing (photos, videos, GIFs)
  • Rich markdown editor for content creation
  • Customizable swipe gestures
  • Unlimited account switching
  • Push notifications for accounts and communities
  • Content filtering by keyword
Features
Read full description

Arctic For Lemmy is a free and native iOS client for Lemmy. In the spirit of the Fediverse, Arctic is completely free and private. No data of any kind will be collected from your device, and no pesky advertisements, Ever. Arctic was built specifically for iOS and runs natively on pure Swift. Enjoy browsing feeds with embedded content that keeps you out of the browser, and in the app. Engage in the conversation using the rich markdown editor, and intuitive post composer Key Features: • No advertisements or trackers, ever • Native support for media, photos, videos, gifs, etc • Robust media viewer to view content in full detail • Rich link previews in posts and comments • Customizable swipe gestures to make navigation a breeze • Account quick switcher, supports unlimited accounts • Community switcher, quickly jump between communities • Account push notifications, badges, replies, mentions, messages, reports, applications • Community push notifications. customizable notifications for communities based on filters • Content filters, exclude content by keyword • Smart cache keeps browsing fast, and storage freed • Rich markdown editor for composing new content • Upload manager for keeping control of uploaded media • Highly customizable UI with custom theme support • Lemmy Explorer integration, browse Lemmy Explorer directly in the app • Full-featured client, if you can do it on this website, you can do it in Arctic Visit Arctic's community at !arctic@lemmy.world to keep up with the latest changes and provide feedback.

Screenshots

Mona Classic4 screens
Arctic For Lemmy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Mona Classic and Arctic For Lemmy both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 71% of Mona Classic's written reviews are positive against 55% of Arctic For Lemmy's. Mona Classic also leads on ratings volume (166 vs 23) and iOS requirement (13.1 vs 15.0). On price, rating, 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 6 one-off in-app purchases and Arctic For Lemmy sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Mona Classic against 4.4 for Arctic For Lemmy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mona Classic has 166 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Mona Classic's written reviews are positive against 55% of Arctic For Lemmy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mona Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, Arctic For Lemmy every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Mona Classic versus Arctic For Lemmy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMona ClassicArctic For Lemmy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (166 ratings) — better4.4 (23 ratings)
Positive reviews70.5% of reviews — better54.5% of reviews
Number of ratings166 — better23
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.1 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB46 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperJunyu KuangDana Buehre

Customer experience

Mona Classic

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

Arctic For Lemmy

All ratings20 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative45.5%

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

Arctic For Lemmy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Mona Classic

One-time6
  • Mona Pro Max (14-day trial)Free
  • Small Tip$2.99
  • Generous Tip$6.99
Show 3 more
  • Amazing Tip$9.99
  • Upgrade to Mona Pro Max$9.99
  • Mona Pro Max$29.99
4 purchases

Arctic For Lemmy

One-time4
  • Kind Tip$2.99
  • Generous Tip$5.99
  • Bountiful Tip$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Supporter Tip$19.99

Questions

Is Mona Classic free?
Mona Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Arctic For Lemmy free?
Arctic For Lemmy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mona Classic or Arctic For Lemmy?
Mona Classic is rated higher. Mona Classic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Arctic For Lemmy averages 4.4 from 23 ratings.
Do Mona Classic or Arctic For Lemmy have ads?
Neither Mona Classic nor Arctic For Lemmy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mona Classic or Arctic For Lemmy?
Mona Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Arctic For Lemmy every 5 weeks. Most recently, Mona Classic was updated on November 12, 2026 and Arctic For Lemmy on November 3, 2026.

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