# Mona Classic vs Igloo

The clearest difference is rating: Mona Classic at 4.4 against Igloo's 3.7. Mona Classic also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 43%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mona Classic sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Igloo sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mona Classic holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 166 and 119 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Mona Classic's written reviews are positive against 43% of Igloo's.

Mona Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, Igloo every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mona Classic | Igloo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mona-classic/id1659154653/reviews)** | [3.7 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igloo/id6475702560/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 119 |
| Positive reviews | **70.5% of reviews** | 43.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 77 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.1** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Junyu Kuang](https://appshunter.io/developer/961945907) | [Eskimo Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1037652122) |

## What reviewers say

### Mona Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mona-classic/id1659154653)

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:** Game Controller support, Safari Extension, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mona Pro Max (14-day trial) | Free | one-time |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $6.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Mona Pro Max | $9.99 | one-time |
| Mona Pro for Mac | $11.99 | one-time |
| Mona Pro for iPad | $11.99 | one-time |
| Mona Pro for iPhone | $11.99 | one-time |
| Mona Pro Max | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly customizable
- 👍 Smooth and polished UI
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Excellent accessibility support
- 👍 Robust multi-device sync

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Basic features locked behind paywall
- 🔒 Expensive for a Mastodon app
- 🐛 Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Notification issues

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Igloo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igloo/id6475702560)

This IRC client has been completely re-engineered for enhanced performance and stability. It offers a refined user experience with a redesigned interface, simultaneous file transfers, and optimized bouncer integration. Enjoy secure communication, versatile file sharing, and extensive customization options.

**Highlights:** Multi-file DCC/XDCC transfers, Redesigned user interface with themes, Optimized for bouncers (ZNC), Comprehensive network support, SSL/TLS encryption, Inline media viewing, VoiceOver accessibility

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly License | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly License | $7.99 | per year |
| Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime License (Upgrade) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime License | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Clean, minimalistic, and modern interface
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app performance
- 🔗 Seamless bouncer integration with IRCv3 support
- 📱 Best IRC client available for iOS/iPadOS
- 💬 Active developer with responsive support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive pricing compared to competitors
- 🔄 Forced upgrade from previous version with license non-transfer
- 😤 Developer has dismissive and snarky attitude in responses
- 📵 Cannot stay connected in background (Apple limitation)
- 🚫 Misleading 'free' app store listing (trial only)

**Reported bugs**

- App disconnects when screen turns off or app backgrounded
- Theme selection not persisting between app launches
- User list menu jumps unexpectedly on tap
- Link opening requires multiple taps instead of single tap
- Copy/paste functionality hidden and unintuitive

**Requested features**

- Restore /ignore command for blocking users
- IRCv3 CHATHISTORY extension implementation
- DCC file transfer support
- Ability to hide/disable Slap function
- Color customization for usernames


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mona Classic free?

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

### Is Igloo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mona Classic or Igloo?

Mona Classic is rated higher. Mona Classic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Igloo averages 3.7 from 119 ratings.

### Do Mona Classic or Igloo have ads?

Neither Mona Classic nor Igloo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mona Classic or Igloo?

Mona Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Igloo every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mona Classic was updated on October 10, 2026 and Igloo on October 7, 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.*