# Monal vs Damus

The clearest difference is rating: Damus at 4.8 against Monal's 3.7. Damus also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 58%) and ratings volume (673 vs 142). Monal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Damus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Monal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Damus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 142 and 673 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Monal's written reviews are positive against 79% of Damus's.

Monal ships an update monthly, Damus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monal | Damus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (142 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monal-xmpp-chat/id317711500/reviews) | **[4.8 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/damus/id1628663131/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 142 | **673** |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | **78.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 72 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Molitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo Molitor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508738269) | [Damus Nostr, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1510689510) |

## What reviewers say

### Monal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monal-xmpp-chat/id317711500)

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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works well
- 🔒 Secure XMPP client
- 👍 Best XMPP client on iOS
- 🚀 Robust and dependable
- 👍 Actively developed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Encryption problems
- 👎 Buggy UI and UX
- 🔍 Missing basic features (copy/paste, etc.)
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Disconnects frequently
- Incompatible with some XMPP servers
- Crashes when sending messages
- Issues with loading contact lists

**Requested features**

- Add OTR/PGP encryption support
- Improve group chat functionality
- Allow customization of sounds and notifications
- Optimize for older iOS versions


### Damus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/damus/id1628663131)

A decentralized social network offering full control over your data and speech. Enjoy end-to-end encrypted messaging, no registration requirements, and seamless integration with bots. Monetize your interactions by tipping friends with lightning.

**Highlights:** Decentralized social network, End-to-end encrypted messaging, No registration required, Programmable bots integration, Lightning tipping for friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purple | $9.99 | per month |
| Purple Yearly | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Censorship-resistant
- 💰 Bitcoin/Lightning integration
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 🌐 Decentralized protocol

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited search/discovery features
- 💬 Lack of moderation tools

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to post or view content
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
- Issues with connecting to relays

**Requested features**

- Add polls and voting features
- Improve search and content discovery
- Implement user-controlled moderation tools
- Add support for more languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monal free?

Monal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Damus free?

Damus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Monal or Damus?

Damus is rated higher. Monal averages 3.7 out of 5 from 142 ratings, while Damus averages 4.8 from 673 ratings.

### Do Monal or Damus have ads?

Neither Monal nor Damus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monal or Damus?

Monal ships an update monthly, and Damus every 2 months. Most recently, Monal was updated on October 29, 2026 and Damus on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*