# Primal vs Smype

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smype at none against Primal's 5. Smype also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 88%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Primal | Smype |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (928 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primal/id1673134518/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **928** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 156 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Primal Systems Incorporated.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673134521) | [Hodfords Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1749913805) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Smype

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smype/id6744085053)

Easily report issues and make your voice heard by documenting experiences with photos or videos. Connect with others facing similar problems to amplify your impact and track complaint progress in real-time.

**Highlights:** Document experiences with photo/video, Connect with others facing similar issues, Add location and reference information, Track complaint progress with real-time updates, Report product, service, or app issues

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Primal free?

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

### Is Smype free?

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

### Do Primal or Smype have ads?

Neither Primal nor Smype shows ads.

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

Primal ships an update every 2 weeks, and Smype every 2 weeks. Most recently, Primal was updated on October 15, 2026 and Smype on October 1, 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.*