# Monal vs a.s.d.f

The clearest difference is rating: a.s.d.f at 5.0 against Monal's 3.7. a.s.d.f also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 58%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Monal's advantage is ratings volume (140 vs 4) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

a.s.d.f holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Monal has 140 ratings behind it against 4, 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 a.s.d.f's.

Monal ships an update every 5 weeks, a.s.d.f fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monal | a.s.d.f |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (140 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monal-xmpp-chat/id317711500/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asdf/id6740501271/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **140** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 71 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Molitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo Molitor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508738269) | [Instanc Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1593307493) |

## 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


### a.s.d.f

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asdf/id6740501271)

Connect with your local community through a private, real-time network. Discover local deals, events, and classifieds, and chat with neighbors securely. Your town, in your pocket.

**Highlights:** Local deals from verified shops, Discover nearby events, Real-time zip-code chat rooms, Local classifieds for buying/selling, AI-powered local discovery, End-to-end encrypted messaging

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monal free?

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

### Is a.s.d.f free?

a.s.d.f is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Monal or a.s.d.f?

a.s.d.f is rated higher. Monal averages 3.7 out of 5 from 140 ratings, while a.s.d.f averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Monal or a.s.d.f have ads?

Neither Monal nor a.s.d.f shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monal or a.s.d.f?

Monal ships an update every 5 weeks, and a.s.d.f fortnightly. Most recently, Monal was updated on October 16, 2026 and a.s.d.f on October 1, 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.*