Comparison

Monal vs FluffyChat

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Open Source
  • No Ads
  • OMEMO encrypted chat
  • Multi user chat (MUC)
  • Audio/Video calls
  • File sharing
Read full description

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

About

FluffyChat

This open-source messenger app offers secure, decentralized communication with a user-friendly interface. It supports various message types, group chats, and advanced moderation features, all while prioritizing user privacy and a delightful experience.

Highlights
  • Send messages, images, and files
  • Voice messages and location sharing
  • Unlimited private and public group chats
  • Public channels with thousands of participants
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Encrypted chat backup
  • Discover and join public groups
Features
Read full description

FluffyChat is an open source, nonprofit and cute matrix messenger app. The app is easy to use but secure and decentralized. Features: - Send all kinds of messages, images and files - Voice messages - Location sharing - Push notifications - Unlimited private and public group chats - Public channels with thousands of participants - Feature rich group moderation including all matrix features - Discover and join public groups - Material You design - Hides complexity of Matrix IDs behind simple QR codes - Custom emotes and stickers - Spaces - Compatible with Element, Nheko, NeoChat and all other Matrix apps - End to end encryption - Encrypted chat backup - Emoji verification & cross signing ... and much more. FluffyChat comes with a dream! Imagine a world where everyone can choose the messenger they like and is still able to chat with all of their friends. A world where there are no companies spying on you when you send selfies to friends and lovers. And a world where apps are made for fluffyness and not for profit.

Screenshots

Monal4 screens
FluffyChat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FluffyChat at 4.0 against Monal's 3.7. Monal's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 48%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FluffyChat holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 133 and 98 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Monal's written reviews are positive against 48% of FluffyChat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Monal versus FluffyChat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonalFluffyChat
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (133 ratings)4.0 (98 ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.9% of reviews — better48.0% of reviews
Number of ratings133 — better98
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB62 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperThilo MolitorChristian Kussowski

Customer experience

Monal

All ratings126 ratings
Positive63.5%
Neutral8.7%
Negative27.8%
Written reviews202 reviews
Positive56.9%
Neutral12.4%
Negative30.7%

FluffyChat

All ratings98 ratings
Positive73.5%
Neutral8.2%
Negative18.4%
Written reviews100 reviews
Positive48.0%
Neutral21.0%
Negative31.0%

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

FluffyChat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Monal

No in-app purchases

None

FluffyChat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Monal free?
Monal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FluffyChat free?
FluffyChat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Monal or FluffyChat?
FluffyChat is rated higher. Monal averages 3.7 out of 5 from 133 ratings, while FluffyChat averages 4.0 from 98 ratings.
Do Monal or FluffyChat have ads?
Neither Monal nor FluffyChat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Monal or FluffyChat?
Monal ships an update monthly, and FluffyChat monthly. Most recently, Monal was updated on September 5, 2026 and FluffyChat on September 23, 2026.

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