Comparison

Monal vs ecclesias Chat

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
Features
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

ecclesias Chat

Features
Read full description

ecclesias.Chat bietet eine Vielzahl von Funktionen, die die App besonders für sichere und vielseitige Kommunikation auszeichnen. Die wichtisten Features: * Ende-zu-Ende-Verschlüsselung: ecclesias.Chat bietet eine starke Ende-zu-Ende-Verschlüsselung, die sicherstellt, dass nur die vorgesehenen Empfänger die Nachrichten lesen können. * Plattformübergreifend: Der Dienst ist für verschiedene Plattformen verfügbar, einschließlich Web, Desktop und mobilen Geräten. * Gruppen- und Einzelchats: Nutzende können sowohl Einzelchats als auch Gruppenräume erstellen. Gruppenräume können öffentlich oder privat sein. * Dateifreigabe: Es ist möglich, Dateien, Bilder und Videos direkt im Chat zu teilen. * Voice- und Videoanrufe: ecclesias.Chat unterstützt Sprach- und Videoanrufe sowie Konferenzen. * Benutzerdefinierte Emojis und Reaktionen: Nutzende können benutzerdefinierte Emojis erstellen und auf Nachrichten reagieren. * Suchfunktion: Eine leistungsfähige Suchfunktion ermöglicht das Durchsuchen von Nachrichten und Dateien innerhalb der Chats. * Anpassbare Benutzeroberfläche: Die Benutzeroberfläche ist anpassbar, sodass Nutzende das Erscheinungsbild nach ihren Vorlieben gestalten können. * Benachrichtigungen: Umfassende Benachrichtigungsoptionen sorgen dafür, dass Nutzende keine wichtigen Nachrichten verpassen. * Moderationstools: Für große Gruppen und öffentliche Räume gibt es umfangreiche Moderationstools, die es Administrierenden ermöglichen, Inhalte zu überwachen und Regeln durchzusetzen.

Screenshots

Monal4 screens
ecclesias Chat3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Monal at every 5 weeks against ecclesias Chat's every 9 months. Monal also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Monal ships an update every 5 weeks, ecclesias Chat every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Monal versus ecclesias Chat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonalecclesias Chat
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (141 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings141 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB218 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMolitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo MolitorMetaways Infosystems GmbH

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

ecclesias Chat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Monal

No in-app purchases

None

ecclesias Chat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Monal free?
Monal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ecclesias Chat free?
ecclesias Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Monal or ecclesias Chat have ads?
Neither Monal nor ecclesias Chat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Monal or ecclesias Chat?
Monal ships an update every 5 weeks, and ecclesias Chat every 9 months. Most recently, Monal was updated on October 20, 2026 and ecclesias Chat on October 8, 2026.

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