# TurboIRC vs Igloo

The clearest difference is rating: Igloo at 3.7 against TurboIRC's 2.7. Igloo also leads on ratings volume (119 vs 33). TurboIRC's advantage is review sentiment (53% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TurboIRC sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Igloo sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Igloo holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 33 and 119 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of TurboIRC's written reviews are positive against 43% of Igloo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TurboIRC ships an update every 3 weeks, Igloo every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TurboIRC | Igloo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/turboirc/id583000012/reviews) | **[3.7 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igloo/id6475702560/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 33 | **119** |
| Positive reviews | **52.9% of reviews** | 43.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Chourdakis](https://appshunter.io/developer/574876668) | [Eskimo Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1037652122) |

## What reviewers say

### TurboIRC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/turboirc/id583000012)

Connect to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks with this comprehensive iOS client. Enjoy unlimited channel access, rich text formatting, and advanced control features. Save chat logs and utilize various network protocols for a full IRC experience.

**Highlights:** Unlimited channels, Rich text formatting (bold, italic, color), Save HTML logs, Channel and Nick control, DCC support, UTF-8 and other encodings, Smileys

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Files Support | $0.99 | one-time |
| Multiple Server Support | $0.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Scripting | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exclusive features | $0.99 | one-time |
| All In One | $2.99 | one-time |


### Igloo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igloo/id6475702560)

This IRC client has been completely re-engineered for enhanced performance and stability. It offers a refined user experience with a redesigned interface, simultaneous file transfers, and optimized bouncer integration. Enjoy secure communication, versatile file sharing, and extensive customization options.

**Highlights:** Multi-file DCC/XDCC transfers, Redesigned user interface with themes, Optimized for bouncers (ZNC), Comprehensive network support, SSL/TLS encryption, Inline media viewing, VoiceOver accessibility

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly License | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly License | $7.99 | per year |
| Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime License (Upgrade) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime License | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Clean, minimalistic, and modern interface
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app performance
- 🔗 Seamless bouncer integration with IRCv3 support
- 📱 Best IRC client available for iOS/iPadOS
- 💬 Active developer with responsive support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive pricing compared to competitors
- 🔄 Forced upgrade from previous version with license non-transfer
- 😤 Developer has dismissive and snarky attitude in responses
- 📵 Cannot stay connected in background (Apple limitation)
- 🚫 Misleading 'free' app store listing (trial only)

**Reported bugs**

- App disconnects when screen turns off or app backgrounded
- Theme selection not persisting between app launches
- User list menu jumps unexpectedly on tap
- Link opening requires multiple taps instead of single tap
- Copy/paste functionality hidden and unintuitive

**Requested features**

- Restore /ignore command for blocking users
- IRCv3 CHATHISTORY extension implementation
- DCC file transfer support
- Ability to hide/disable Slap function
- Color customization for usernames


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TurboIRC free?

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

### Is Igloo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TurboIRC or Igloo?

Igloo is rated higher. TurboIRC averages 2.7 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Igloo averages 3.7 from 119 ratings.

### Do TurboIRC or Igloo have ads?

Neither TurboIRC nor Igloo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TurboIRC or Igloo?

TurboIRC ships an update every 3 weeks, and Igloo every 2 weeks. Most recently, TurboIRC was updated on September 29, 2026 and Igloo on October 7, 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.*