# Mlem for Lemmy vs Hydra

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mlem for Lemmy at none against Hydra's 5. Hydra's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (807 vs 84). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hydra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Mlem for Lemmy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hydra holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydra has 807 ratings behind it against 84, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Mlem for Lemmy's written reviews are positive against 75% of Hydra's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mlem for Lemmy | Hydra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mlem-for-lemmy/id6450543782/reviews) | **[4.8 (807 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 84 | **807** |
| Positive reviews | **80.4% of reviews** | 74.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#172** |
| Size | 71 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | +17 |
| Developer | [Eric Andrews](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759193185) | [Dimitrie Milinovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637204263) |

## What reviewers say

### Mlem for Lemmy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mlem-for-lemmy/id6450543782)

Experience the Fediverse through a native iOS app designed for seamless interaction with all major Lemmy instances. Enjoy powerful features like swipe actions, quick account switching, and extensive customization for an optimized mobile experience.

**Highlights:** Native iOS Swift development, Lemmy instance compatibility, Swipe actions, Account quick-switching, Customization options, Optimized backend

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ High quality and thoughtfully made app
- 👍 Joy to use
- 🌟 On par with Apollo for Reddit
- 🚀 Seamless Lemmy experience
- ✅ Mostly stable now

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cannot sign up/validate username
- 🐛 Annoying bug: loses progress when switching apps
- 🐛 Bouncing back to feeds list is irritating
- 🐛 Minor bugs introduced with updates
- 🐛 Embedded content shows as links, not playable

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot validate username for account creation
- Loses progress when switching to another app while composing a post/reply
- App bounces back to the subscribed feeds list in various situations
- New bugs introduced with each update
- Embedded content (videos) only show as links

**Requested features**

- Customizability for each feed type (e.g., bold headlines)
- Larger card view option
- Compact view option
- Option to customize gestures
- Fix embedded content to be playable


### Hydra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063)

**Currently charting:** #172 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Experience Reddit browsing with a fast, fluid, and native iOS client. Organize topics, enjoy an immersive media viewer, and utilize quick gestures for seamless interaction. Customize themes and modes for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast loading, Multireddit support, Favorite subreddits, Native iOS design, Image and video viewer, Multiple account support, Quick access gestures

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hydra Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Nice Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Massive potential
- 👍 Closest thing to Apollo
- 👍 Best option for 2025
- 👍 Better in almost every way
- 👍 Superior Reddit Client++

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Sketchy security

**Reported bugs**

- Expect some bumps

**Requested features**

- Customizing the gestures and hiding the username on the tab bar
- Content blocking, comment images, startup feed, and others


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mlem for Lemmy free?

Mlem for Lemmy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hydra free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mlem for Lemmy or Hydra?

Hydra is rated higher. Mlem for Lemmy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while Hydra averages 4.8 from 807 ratings.

### Do Mlem for Lemmy or Hydra have ads?

Neither Mlem for Lemmy nor Hydra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mlem for Lemmy or Hydra?

Mlem for Lemmy ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hydra every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mlem for Lemmy was updated on October 30, 2026 and Hydra on October 30, 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.*