Primal vs Iris Chat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Primal
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.
- 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
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Next generation social media powered by Nostr and Bitcoin. Primal features rich feeds with media playback, built-in wallet, long form articles, extensive content discovery, advanced search. Primal can also be used to authorize activity in compatible Nostr apps using Remote Login. During an active remote session, Primal can play user-configurable ambient sounds that continue while the app is in the background. Our terms of use are available at: http://primal.net/terms
Iris Chat
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Iris Chat is a private messaging app for direct and group chats. Your secret key and message history stay on your devices, and encrypted messages move through message servers you choose. Use Iris Chat to: - Chat one-to-one or in groups - Link your devices with a code - Attach photos and files - Keep messages moving nearby over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi when you turn it on - Block or report unwanted contacts Iris Chat does not include third-party analytics, advertising SDKs, or behavioral tracking.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Iris Chat at none against Primal's 5. Iris Chat also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Primal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Iris Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.
Primal ships an update every 2 weeks, Iris Chat every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Primal | Iris Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (937 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 937 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 140 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Primal Systems Incorporated. | Sirius Business Oy |
Bugs and requests
Primal
Reported bugs
3 issues- 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
4 requests- 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
Iris Chat
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Primal
- Primal Premium Monthly$6.991 Month
- Primal Pro Monthly$69.991 Month
- Primal Premium Yearly$69.991 Year
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- Primal Pro Yearly Subscription$749.991 Year
- Prepaid Nostr Zaps$4.99
Iris Chat
No in-app purchases
