Comparison

Monal vs SHELFy

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

SHELFy

Features
Read full description

SHELFyは、3D作品を飾るように共有し、指で回しながら楽しめる3Dコミュニティアプリです。 名前の由来は「Shelf(棚)」 お気に入りの作品や立体物を自分の棚に並べて、誰かに見せるように3Dを楽しむ場所を目指しています。 クリエイターは、自分の3D作品やデザインを気軽に公開。 Blender、Maya、ZBrushなどの3D制作ツールで作ったモデルはもちろん、Adobe Illustratorの3D機能から書き出したデータにも対応。 プロダクトデザイン、モックアップ、キャラクター、建築・空間表現など、さまざまな立体表現を共有できます。 (GLBもしくはglTFのファイルがアップロード可能です) また、SHELFyは見ているだけでも楽しいアプリです。 気になる作品を見つけて、好きな角度から眺める。細部を確認する。新しい作品と出会う。 いつでも3Dとの新しい出会いを提供します。 3D表現はこれまで専門的な知識や技術が必要な分野でした。 SHELFyは、もっと気軽に、もっと日常の中で3Dに触れられる環境を作ります。 作ったものを飾る。見つけたものを楽しむ。3Dの新しい楽しみ方を、SHELFyから。 ・スマホに保存(icloudなどに保存・移動)したファイルはアップロード時に自動圧縮されます。 ・PCから圧縮サイト(3d-optimize.com)を通じてSHELFyに直接投稿することも可能です(あらかじめSHELFyのダウンロードと登録が必要です)

Screenshots

Monal4 screens
SHELFy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SHELFy at every 6 days against Monal's monthly. 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 monthly, SHELFy every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Monal versus SHELFy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonalSHELFy
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (142 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings142 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB44 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperMolitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo MolitorKUJIRAMATSU CO., LTD.

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

SHELFy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Monal

No in-app purchases

None

SHELFy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Monal free?
Monal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SHELFy free?
SHELFy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Monal or SHELFy have ads?
Neither Monal nor SHELFy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Monal or SHELFy?
Monal ships an update monthly, and SHELFy every 6 days. Most recently, Monal was updated on October 29, 2026 and SHELFy on October 25, 2026.

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