Comparison

Monal vs Subset Network

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

Subset Network

Read full description

“Saw this; thought of you...” used to hurt. Now, it's simple. Subset is the save-share-search app for the compulsively curious. Save links from any app, bloomscroll through them, share privately with your people, and find anything in seconds. Every link, note and excerpt lives on your iPhone, ready for the moment. No followers, algorithm or account. SAVE AND ANNOTATE Save from any app via the share sheet, or in one tap with quick save actions (inc. a copied excerpt). Paste one or many links, or fetch every link on a page. Get/edit titles automatically. Strip tracking parameters. Add public or private notes and excerpts. Archive, delete, mark unread. See every item's share, push, note and excerpt history. SEARCH ANYTHING Full text search across titles, notes, excerpts, URLs and share records. Date search: before/after/between, or last n hours/days/weeks/months. AND/OR/NOT/NEAR operators. Search by peer, to or from. Save searches as views: open (live) or closed (snapshot). Favourite, rename, combine, hide items. Bulk archive, delete and share. BLOOMSCROLL Turn any search, view, story or RSS feed into a feed that actually ends. Two-finger swipe to navigate or exit. Use the HUD to open, note, share or push. Paste highlighted text as an excerpt. Follow links off-piste and return to where you left; saved finds remember where they came from. RSS FEEDS Add RSS feeds as sources to bloomscroll. Set how many items each feed shows and how long they stick around. Refreshes on pull and when you open the app. SHARE WITH PEERS Connect shoulder to shoulder with proximity pairing, or remotely with a code. End-to-end encrypted. Share items, views and search results to multiple peers with notes, excerpts and a share note. Get notified when peers share. Bulk shares queue for browsing; mute for 24hrs. Set aliases, favourite, merge and archive peers. Add any web endpoint, like your blog, as an HTTP peer. STORIES Share 24-hour stories with all peers or just favourites. Watch peer stories as a feed; they stay ephemeral until you note, excerpt, share or push. Retract yours anytime. PUSH AND POSTCARDS Push to messaging, socials and tools with titr push a postcard: an image of an excerpt andnote with a QR code to the source. Custom palettes and layouts; reuse past compositions. Link outcomes to share records. Export as CSV, JSON, Markdown or PDFnote with a QR code to the source. Custom palettes and layouts; reuse past compositions. Link outcomes to share records. Export as CSV, JSON, Markdown or PDF PRIVATE AND SECURE No account, user or device IDs. On-device storage with rolling auto backups. Auth-gated JSON export/import. Face ID/Touch ID/passcode encryption with 24hr timinstantly. Extensions blocked while encrypted. Clear feed cookies and logins. Privacy policyons. Anonymous feedback. LEGAL Licensed under Apple's Standard EULA (https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/). By using Subset, you agree to our Terms (https://subset.network/terms) and Privacy Policy (https://subset.network/privacy). £0.99/month auto-renewing subscription. Cancels unless turned off 24+ hours before period ends. Without subscription: share extension and data export only. Full features require active subscription. Manage subscriptions in Apple ID settings (accessible via app menu). No refunds for partial periods except where legally required.

Screenshots

Monal4 screens
Subset Network4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Monal at Free against Subset Network's $0.99. Monal also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Monal is free to download; Subset Network costs $0.99 up front. Subset Network sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Monal asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Monal ships an update monthly, Subset Network every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Monal versus Subset Network: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonalSubset Network
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating3.7 (141 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings141 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMolitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo MolitorSubset Network Technologies LLC

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

Subset Network

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Monal

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Subset Network

Subscriptions1
  • Subset Monthly$0.991 Month

Questions

Is Monal free?
Monal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Subset Network free?
Subset Network costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do Monal or Subset Network have ads?
Neither Monal nor Subset Network shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Monal or Subset Network?
Monal ships an update monthly, and Subset Network every 2 months. Most recently, Monal was updated on October 31, 2026 and Subset Network on October 30, 2026.

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