# Nostur vs Primal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nostur at none against Primal's 5. Nostur also leads on device support (4 vs 1). Primal's advantage is ratings volume (936 vs 27). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Primal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Nostur asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Nostur against 4.9 for Primal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Primal has 936 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 88% and 87% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nostur | Primal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nostur-nostr-client/id1672780508/reviews) | **[4.9 (936 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primal/id1673134518/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **936** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 87.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Fabian Lachman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1672780510) | [Primal Systems Incorporated.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673134521) |

## What reviewers say

### Nostur

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nostur-nostr-client/id1672780508)

A social media client for the decentralized nostr network. Connect to an open, public network not controlled by any single entity. Explore a new way to interact online.

**Highlights:** Nostr network client, Open and public network, Decentralized social media, User-friendly interface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Primal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primal/id1673134518)

Experience a next-generation social media platform built on Nostr and Bitcoin. Enjoy rich media feeds, long-form articles, and integrated Bitcoin wallet functionality. Discover content easily and authorize other Nostr apps with remote login.

**Highlights:** Rich media feeds with playback, Built-in Bitcoin wallet, Long form articles, Extensive content discovery, Advanced search, Remote Login for Nostr apps, Configurable ambient sounds

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Primal Premium Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Primal Pro Monthly | $69.99 | per month |
| Primal Premium Yearly | $69.99 | per year |
| Primal Pro Yearly Subscription | $749.99 | per year |
| Prepaid Nostr Zaps | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 🔒 Secure and private social experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Seamless integration with Bitcoin Lightning Network
- 🤘 Empowering decentralized social media

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🇨🇦 Limited functionality for Canadian users
- 🔍 Lacking advanced search and discovery features
- 🔔 Inconsistent push notification support

**Reported bugs**

- Losing relay connections when switching to desktop
- Issues with account creation and sign-in process
- Inconsistent display of reactions from other Nostr apps

**Requested features**

- Add support for more Nostr reaction types
- Implement robust community/subreddit features
- Improve cache management and clearing options
- Provide better account management and sign-out options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nostur free?

Nostur is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Primal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nostur or Primal?

Primal is rated higher. Nostur averages 4.7 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Primal averages 4.9 from 936 ratings.

### Do Nostur or Primal have ads?

Neither Nostur nor Primal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nostur or Primal?

Nostur ships an update every 2 weeks, and Primal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Nostur was updated on October 25, 2026 and Primal on October 24, 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.*