LimeChat vs Linphone
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LimeChat
This app provides a comprehensive IRC chat experience on mobile devices. It offers quick navigation, message highlighting, and support for multiple servers and channels. Enjoy seamless communication with features like automatic authentication and a built-in browser for links.
- Quick navigation with arrow buttons
- Event indicators for other channels
- Message highlighting and vibration
- Visual user information (whois)
- Built-in browser for URLs
- Multiple server and channel support
- Automatic Nickserv authentication
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LimeChat for iOS is a full featured IRC client. It allows you to chat on the go in the same way as you do on desktop. Features: ・Quick navigation. You can move around channels quickly by arrow buttons or tapping on the left/right side of log views. ・Arrow buttons indicate events (highlight, new message coming or new PM coming) happened in the other channels. So you can recognize it easily while chatting in another channel. ・Highlights messages and optionally vibrates for your specific words. ・Visual interface for user information (whois). ・Built-in browser for clickable URL links. ・Full support for landscape mode. ・Multitasking support. Connections are kept up for a while (2-7 minutes) after going to background. ・Multiple servers and channels. ・Automatic Nickserv authentication support. ・Full support for many text encodings. ・SSL support. (Self-signed certificates are NOT supported) ・VoiceOver support. Notes: ・DCC is NOT supported currently. **** ATTENTION **** I can't provide support to people leaving reviews on App Store. There is no way to reply to you here. If you have a problem or suggestion, please send a mail to psychs@limechat.net.
Linphone
This open-source application provides free audio and video calls, as well as text messaging, over the internet. It allows users to stay reachable at all times via WiFi or mobile data, even when the app is closed. Enjoy secure communication and the ability to connect with traditional phone lines.
- High definition audio and video calls
- Audio conference calls
- Picture and file sharing
- Push notifications for reachability
- Secure communication with encryption
- SIP-compliant VoIP service integration
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Linphone is an open source internet SIP phone or Voice Over IP phone (VoIP). Linphone is an open source app offering free audio/video calls and text messaging. With Linphone, you can be reachable at any time, even if the app is closed, with a WiFi or 3G/4G internet connection. Linphone key features: * high definition audio and video calls * audio conference calls with various participants * pictures and file sharing * Linphone accounts reachable at any time, even if the app is closed (thanks to push notifications) * secure communication (encryption options) * compliant with a large number of SIP-compatible VoIP service providers allowing to reach everyone that has a "classic" phone line. Linphone is available on the main mobile and desktop operating systems and offers various specific features for advanced users (codecs, transport standard, encryption options, DTMF...). For more information, see Linphone project website: www.linphone.org Note for developers and professionals: Linphone can be rebranded and customized to meet specific needs. Contact Belledonne Communications www.belledonne-communications.com for any specific development query.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Linphone at Free against LimeChat's $4.99. LimeChat's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 35%) and rating (3.1 vs 2.7). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Linphone is free to download; LimeChat costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
LimeChat holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of LimeChat's written reviews are positive against 35% of Linphone's.
LimeChat ships an update every 5 weeks, Linphone every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.
| Parameter | LimeChat | Linphone |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.1 (11 ratings) — better | 2.7 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 65.2% of reviews — better | 35.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #64 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Satoshi Nakagawa | Belledonne Communications SARL |
Customer experience
LimeChat
Linphone
User reviews
LimeChat
From 11 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and lightweight IRC client
- 👍 Clean, intuitive, and simple user interface
- 🔒 Supports SSL connections and security features
- 📱 Works well on both iPhone and iPad
- 🎯 Reliable and stable performance
Room to improve
- 🐛 Keyboard jumping/positioning issues on iOS
- 🔌 Disconnects when app is backgrounded
- 🐛 Connection drops on WiFi and VPN
- ❌ No background connectivity/refresh
- 🐛 Scrolling issues after sending messages
Linphone
From 10 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Good call quality
- 🚀 Works well with SIP providers
- 💡 Useful features like DTMF support
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes frequently
- 🔑 Issues with account setup and configuration
- 🔒 Security concerns with password handling
- 🔋 Unreliable background/push notification support
Bugs and requests
LimeChat
Reported bugs
14 issues- Keyboard jumps when sending messages (iOS 26.1)
- Scrolling breaks after message send
- App disconnects when backgrounded
- Connection drops on WiFi/VPN
- Keyboard doesn't appear on iPhone X
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Keyboard positioning issues with external keyboards
- App crashes with multitasking
- Screen lock causes disconnection
- EOF errors disconnecting from server
- Channels don't open when using ZNC bouncer
- Long connection times over 3G
- Fuzzy/blurry icon on retina displays
- Input area moves up with external keyboard
- App becomes unresponsive intermittently
Requested features
20 requests- Background connectivity and app refresh
- Push/pop-up notifications
- Nick/username autocomplete
- Split view support for iPad
- Landscape mode
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Dark theme option
- Color text support
- DCC file transfer support
- Timestamps on messages
- Command history
- Swipe gestures between channels
- Hardware keyboard support
- Channel search feature
- More built-in server list
- Copy/paste improvements
- Scripting support
- Dynamic type for accessibility
- Nick completion with tab key
- Hide join/quit messages option
- Larger font size options
Linphone
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes on startup
- Incoming calls not working properly
- Settings not saving correctly
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for multiple SIP accounts
- Improve user interface and navigation
- Provide more customization options
- Enhance audio quality and noise cancellation
In-app purchases
LimeChat
No in-app purchases
Linphone
No in-app purchases
