# Trillian vs IRCCloud

The clearest difference is rating: Trillian at 4.1 against IRCCloud's 3.4. Trillian also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (577 vs 77). IRCCloud's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trillian sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. IRCCloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

Trillian holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Trillian has 577 ratings behind it against 77, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Trillian's written reviews are positive against 49% of IRCCloud's.

Trillian ships an update every 5 days, IRCCloud every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trillian | IRCCloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (577 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trillian/id327603487/reviews)** | [3.4 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irccloud/id672699103/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **577** | 77 |
| Positive reviews | **57.1% of reviews** | 48.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 42 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cerulean Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/327603490) | [IRCCloud Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/672699106) |

## What reviewers say

### Trillian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trillian/id327603487)

This secure messaging platform offers instant communication for businesses, healthcare organizations, and individuals. It modernizes employee communication, provides HIPAA-compliant messaging for healthcare, and allows free, private communication for personal use.

**Highlights:** Secure business instant messaging, HIPAA-compliant healthcare communication, Free individual messaging, Modern employee communication, Privacy-focused personal chat

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trillian Pro - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Trillian Pro - Yearly | $47.99 | per year |
| Trillian Pro - One Month | $4.99 | one-time |
| Trillian Pro - One Year | $47.90 | one-time |


### IRCCloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irccloud/id672699103)

Access IRC chat from any device and never miss a conversation. Your chat history is synced to the cloud, and you'll receive push notifications for important messages. Share files and customize your experience with multiple themes.

**Highlights:** Cloud-synced chat history, Push notifications for mentions/DMs, File sharing (photos, videos, files), Server-side connection for persistent access, Multiple colorful themes, Monospace font option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌐 Persistent connection without app being open
- 📱 Best iOS IRC client available
- 🎨 Intuitive and polished user interface
- 💬 Seamless multi-device synchronization
- 📸 Built-in image/file upload functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Mandatory account creation required
- 📧 Email address required upfront before evaluation
- 💳 Hidden paywall after free trial period
- 🔐 Basic features locked behind paid subscription
- 🐛 Frequent connection drops and disconnections

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during signup process
- Login screen freezes or shows blank navy background
- Text input box cut off at bottom of screen
- Typing bar blocks view of messages
- App stuck on 'Connecting' screen on iPad

**Requested features**

- Third-party client support for BNC functionality
- Bulk file deletion instead of one-by-one
- Disable auto-archiving of inactive chats
- Faster app load times for chat history
- Password support with special characters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trillian free?

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

### Is IRCCloud free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Trillian or IRCCloud?

Trillian is rated higher. Trillian averages 4.1 out of 5 from 577 ratings, while IRCCloud averages 3.4 from 77 ratings.

### Do Trillian or IRCCloud have ads?

Neither Trillian nor IRCCloud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trillian or IRCCloud?

Trillian ships an update every 5 days, and IRCCloud every 3 months. Most recently, Trillian was updated on October 16, 2026 and IRCCloud on October 8, 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.*