# Monal vs DatChat

The clearest difference is rating: DatChat at 4.8 against Monal's 3.7. DatChat also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 58%) and update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). Monal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DatChat sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Monal asks for nothing beyond the download.

DatChat holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DatChat has 942 ratings behind it against 142, 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 91% of DatChat's.

Monal ships an update monthly, DatChat every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monal | DatChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (142 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monal-xmpp-chat/id317711500/reviews) | **[4.8 (942 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datchat-social-network-plus/id999516973/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 142 | **942** |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | **90.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 72 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Molitor und Dietzel, Inh. Thilo Molitor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508738269) | [Myseum, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/999516972) |

## 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


### DatChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datchat-social-network-plus/id999516973)

This app offers a private social network and messenger with self-destructing, screenshot-protected, and end-to-end encrypted posts and messages. Users can control messages even after sending, create private social groups, and secure photos with advanced encryption.

**Highlights:** Self-destructing messages and posts, Screenshot protection with notifications, End-to-end encrypted communication, Nuke conversations to erase both sides, Private social groups, Multiple accounts, Encrypted hidden photo storage

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Remain Anonymous | $1.99 | one-time |
| DatChat Pro Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Privacy and security
- 🚀 Innovative features
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Blockchain technology
- 🔒 Anti-screenshot protection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔧 Needs more feature development
- 👎 Dated UI design
- 🔍 Difficulty finding recent messages

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Inconsistent message delivery
- Notifications not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Video chat functionality
- Ability to like/react to messages
- Improved message search and sorting
- Customizable notification settings
- Integration with other platforms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monal free?

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

### Is DatChat free?

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

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

DatChat is rated higher. Monal averages 3.7 out of 5 from 142 ratings, while DatChat averages 4.8 from 942 ratings.

### Do Monal or DatChat have ads?

Neither Monal nor DatChat shows ads.

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

Monal ships an update monthly, and DatChat every 9 days. Most recently, Monal was updated on November 6, 2026 and DatChat on November 6, 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.*