Monal vs Synod.im
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Monal
This open-source messenger provides a fast and user-friendly way to connect to the XMPP public chat network. Enjoy private, ad-free communication with end-to-end encryption and features like group chats and file sharing.
- Open Source
- No Ads
- OMEMO encrypted chat
- Multi user chat (MUC)
- Audio/Video calls
- File sharing
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There has never been a better time to get into XMPP, a free public chat network no one controls or owns. Monal is a fast and user friendly way to use XMPP. Just download the app, login or register and you are ready to chat in minutes. It looks and works the way other apps do, so there is no need to “learn XMPP” or even care what it is. Notable features: - Open Source - No Ads! Strong focus on privacy. Does not phone home and does not have software "metrics" - Does not read any personal information - With a direct connection to your server, your password and all other info are never sent to a third-party - OMEMO encrypted chat - Will work with corporate XMPP servers that require VPN - Multi user chat (MUC) support for group chats - Audio/Video calls Implements certain XMPP extensions intended to improve mobile communication: - XEP-0357: Push Notifications - XEP-0280: Message Carbons keep messages in synch between clients - XEP-0198: Stream Management to quickly reconnect - XEP-0199: XMPP Ping to maintain connections - XEP-0313: Message Archive Management to download chat history - XEP-0352: Client State Indication for dramatic reduction on power use - XEP-0363: HTTP File Upload to send images in conversations
Synod.im
This app allows participation in a federated messaging system, offering a Matrix-compatible messenger. It connects to a default server but supports others, serving as a fork of a popular iOS client.
- Matrix-compatible messaging
- Federated system participation
- Customizable homeserver
- Fork of Element iOS
- Decentralized communication
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Synod.im ist ein Matrix-kompatibler Messenger des LUKi e.V., mit dem du am föderierten Matrix-System teilnehmen kannst. Standardmäßig ist der Matrix-Server auf synod.im eingestellt, andere Homeserver sind möglich. Dies ist ein friendly fork von Element iOS.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Synod.im at 4.8 against Monal's 3.7. Synod.im also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 58%). Monal's advantage is ratings volume (141 vs 5). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Synod.im holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Monal has 141 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Monal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Synod.im's.
Monal ships an update every 5 weeks, Synod.im every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Monal | Synod.im |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (141 ratings) | 4.8 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 141 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 71 MB | 157 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Molitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo Molitor | Christoph Settgast |
Customer experience
Monal
Synod.im
Bugs and requests
Monal
Reported bugs
4 issues- Disconnects frequently
- Incompatible with some XMPP servers
- Crashes when sending messages
- Issues with loading contact lists
Requested features
4 requests- Add OTR/PGP encryption support
- Improve group chat functionality
- Allow customization of sounds and notifications
- Optimize for older iOS versions
Synod.im
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Monal
No in-app purchases
Synod.im
No in-app purchases
