Comparison

Colloquy vs SimpleX Chat

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Colloquy

This app brings the functionality of a popular desktop IRC client to your mobile device. It offers a full-featured experience optimized for on-the-go use with iOS multitasking and push notifications. Enjoy customizable settings, message highlighting, and robust IRC command support.

Highlights
  • Retina display support
  • iOS multitasking and split-screen
  • Push notifications with bouncer
  • Nickname and emoticon completion
  • Message highlighting and vibration
  • Customizable interface and behavior
  • WHOIS user information display
Features
Read full description

Colloquy for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch puts the power of the most popular IRC client for the Mac in the palm of your hand. Built atop the Chat Core framework, Colloquy Mobile is a full featured client optimized for the on-the-go experience with iOS multitasking support. Unique Features: • Support for retina devices, including iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and iPad Pro. • Support for iOS multitasking with local notifications and split-screen support. • Push notifications when using a compatible push bouncer. • Convenient nickname and emoticon completion popups. • Support for all the common IRC commands with completion. • Organized Colloquies view that shows all your conversations and rooms at a glance. • Highlights messages (and optionally vibrates) when your specific words or nickname is mentioned. • Highly customizable interface and behavior settings within the Settings application. • Visual display of user information (WHOIS) for any user. • Full support for landscape mode in the entire application. • Stays connected while iPhone is locked and when SMS alerts appear. • Searchable room member list. • Support for SASL authentication (required when connecting to Freenode over the cell network.) • A console for every connection. • Support for ignoring annoying users. Standard Features: • Multiple message styles to choose from. • Fully compatible with mIRC colors and formatting. • Large selection of graphical emoticons. • Allows you to join multiple chat rooms across many different servers. • Automatic identification with network services (NickServ). • Notification of common server errors as easy to understand alerts. • Automatically join rooms and send commands upon connect. • Solid support for secure connections over SSL and TLS. • Full support for room and connection text encodings. • Full IRCv3 compatibility, including the IRCv3.2 standard. • Open minded and Open Source, like it should be. ATTENTION: We can't provide support here to people leaving reviews, as much as we want to. We also can't discuss feature requests, since there is no way to reply to you here. If you have a problem or suggestion, please visit us in #colloquy-mobile on irc.freenode.net, click the support link below, or email us at support@colloquy.mobi.

About

SimpleX Chat

This secure messaging app offers unparalleled privacy by eliminating user identifiers. Enjoy end-to-end encrypted messages, calls, and files with features like disappearing messages and incognito mode. Connect via invitation links without needing phone numbers or emails.

Highlights
  • No user identifiers
  • End-to-end encrypted messages
  • Disappearing messages
  • Incognito mode
  • Encrypted file and voice messages
  • Secret chat groups
  • Encrypted portable chat database
Features
Read full description

SimpleX - the first messaging network without user identifiers of any kind (not even random numbers) - 100% private by design! Security assessments by Trail of Bits: 2022: https://simplex.chat/blog/20221108-simplex-chat-v4.2-security-audit-new-website.html 2024: https://simplex.chat/blog/20241014-simplex-network-v6-1-security-review-better-calls-user-experience.html SimpleX Chat features: - quantum resistant end-to-end encrypted messages, with editing, replies and deletion. - disappearing messages with opt-out per contact/group. - message reactions. - delivery receipts, with opt-out per contact or group. - multiple chat profiles, with hidden profiles. - app access and self-destruct passcodes. - incognito mode - unique to SimpleX Chat. - end-to-end encrypted images and files. - voice messages up to 5 minutes – also end-to-end encrypted. - "live" messages – they update for all recipients as you type them, every few seconds - unique to SimpleX Chat. - connect via one-time invitation links or via long-term public addresses. - secret chat groups - only group members know the group exists and who is the member. - end-to-end encrypted audio and video calls. - connection security code verification, for contacts and group members – to protect from man-in-the-middle attacks (e.g. invitation link substitution). - end-to-end encrypted push notifications (they contain only encrypted meta-data, not the actual content). - encrypted portable chat database - you can transfer your chat contacts and history to another device. - all local files and media are encrypted by default. - animated images and "stickers" (e.g., from GIF and PNG files and from 3rd party keyboards). SimpleX Chat advantages: - privacy of your identity, profile, contacts and metadata: unlike any other existing messaging platform, SimpleX uses no phone numbers or any other identifiers assigned to the users - not even random numbers. This protects the privacy of who you are communicating with, hiding it from SimpleX platform servers and from any observers. - complete protection against spam and abuse: as you have no identifier on SimpleX platform, you cannot be contacted unless you share a one-time invitation link or an optional temporary user address. - full ownership, control and security of your data: SimpleX stores all user data on client devices, the messages are only held temporarily on SimpleX relay servers until they are received. - decentralized proxied peer-to-peer network: you can use SimpleX Chat via your own relay servers and still communicate with people using pre-configured or any other SimpleX relay servers. - fully open-source code. You can connect to anybody you know via link or scan QR code (in the video call or in person) and start sending messages instantly - no emails, phone numbers or passwords needed. Your profile and contacts are only stored in the app on your device - relay servers do not have access to this information. All messages are end-to-end encrypted using open-source quantum resistant double-ratchet protocol; the messages are delivered via relay servers using open-source SimpleX Messaging Protocol. Please send us any questions via the app (connect to the team via the app settings!), email chat@simplex.chat or submit issues on GitHub (https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplex-chat/issues) Ream more about SimpleX Chat at https://simplex.chat Get source code in our GitHub repo: https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplex-chat Follow us on X/Twitter (@SimpleXChat), Reddit (r/SimpleXChat/) and Mastodon (https://mastodon.social/@simplex) for the latest updates.

Screenshots

Colloquy4 screens
SimpleX Chat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SimpleX Chat at Free against Colloquy's $1.99. SimpleX Chat also leads on rating (4.3 vs 1.8) and review sentiment (56% vs 39%). Colloquy's advantage is chart position (#34 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SimpleX Chat is free to download; Colloquy costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SimpleX Chat holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimpleX Chat has 268 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Colloquy's written reviews are positive against 56% of SimpleX Chat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Colloquy ships an update fortnightly, SimpleX Chat every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Colloquy versus SimpleX Chat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColloquySimpleX Chat
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating1.8 (32 ratings)4.3 (268 ratings) — better
Positive reviews39.3% of reviews56.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32268 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#34 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB193 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperColloquy ProjectSimpleX Chat

Customer experience

Colloquy

All ratings32 ratings
Positive15.6%
Neutral9.4%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews308 reviews
Positive39.3%
Neutral8.8%
Negative51.9%

SimpleX Chat

All ratings268 ratings
Positive79.1%
Neutral6.0%
Negative14.9%
Written reviews209 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral14.4%
Negative29.2%

User reviews

Colloquy

From 32 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Reliable connection
  • 👍 Thoughtful design
  • 🔒 Handles bouncer setup well
  • 📱 Works great on iOS

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Difficult to use for new users
  • 🔋 Disconnects after inactivity
  • 🔍 Confusing interface

SimpleX Chat

From 268 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 End-to-end encryption and quantum-resistant security
  • 🔐 No phone number or personal data required
  • 👤 Anonymous profiles and multiple identities
  • 🚀 Fast message delivery when working properly
  • 🎯 Decentralized and open-source architecture

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and instability
  • 📬 Delayed or missing notifications (20+ minutes common)
  • ⌨️ Keyboard issues on iOS (freezing, unresponsive)
  • 🔌 Poor connectivity and message delivery failures
  • 📱 iPad version not optimized

Bugs and requests

Colloquy

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Text entry box issues
  • Inconsistent user list display
  • Broken features after updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Longer background timeout
  • Improved search and user list
  • Better file transfer support

SimpleX Chat

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • App crashes on startup (v6.2 update)
  • Keyboard unresponsive on iOS 26
  • Messages not appearing until app is opened
  • Notifications not working despite correct settings
  • Chat freezing and lag on iPhone
Show 14 more
  • QR code scanning not working on iPad
  • Desktop-phone sync connection failures
  • Auto-delete messages interrupting voice recordings
  • Typing inserts extra characters
  • iOS 17 keyboard autofill interferes with typing
  • Chat object unresponsive but moveable (delete)
  • Backup restoration key confirmation fails if contact offline
  • Server switching not reflected in chats
  • Cannot change sending server for stuck messages
  • Connection errors when creating chat links
  • Video upload takes hours
  • Call notifications appearing in Russian
  • Random photo auto-attachment during typing
  • Unable to unsend or delete sent attachments

Requested features

14 requests
  • Read receipts option
  • Typing indicators
  • Bot maker feature like Telegram
  • Multiple image attachment with descriptions
  • Better emoji reaction selection
Show 9 more
  • Mac desktop app
  • Web app (PWA)
  • iPad optimization
  • Improved group discovery/search
  • Global self-destruct message settings
  • Pin photos in group welcome messages
  • Chinese input method support
  • Ringing tone during calls
  • Speakerphone launch option before call pickup

In-app purchases

None

Colloquy

No in-app purchases

None

SimpleX Chat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Colloquy free?
Colloquy costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SimpleX Chat free?
SimpleX Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Colloquy or SimpleX Chat?
SimpleX Chat is rated higher. Colloquy averages 1.8 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while SimpleX Chat averages 4.3 from 268 ratings.
Do Colloquy or SimpleX Chat have ads?
Neither Colloquy nor SimpleX Chat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Colloquy or SimpleX Chat?
Colloquy ships an update fortnightly, and SimpleX Chat every 2 weeks. Most recently, Colloquy was updated on October 10, 2026 and SimpleX Chat on October 12, 2026.

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