Comparison

Column Social vs TopicFlow for Discourse

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Column Social

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Column is a network of private communities that host the most important conversations in the world. Some of the most important conversations in the world are happening in group chats. Column is an app for your group chats so people can subscribe and the chats can go viral to include everyone in the world that should be in the chat. On Column, you can: - Create and join private, paid groups for communities of practice - Post new content in real time in private groups, or publicly - Stay up to date in your field and communities of interest - Upload photos and share links with previews - Chat one-on-one with others from your gropus via DMs Privacy Policy: https://www.joincolumn.com/legal/privacy Terms of Service: https://stage.joincolumn.com/legal/terms-of-service

About

TopicFlow for Discourse

Experience your online forums with a fast, fluid, and native mobile client. This app offers true native performance, a mobile-first design for easy navigation, and a unified hub to manage multiple communities without distractions.

Highlights
  • True native performance
  • Mobile-first design
  • Unified hub for multiple communities
  • Clean, distraction-free interface
  • Fast page loads and smooth scrolling
Features
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TopicFlow: The Native Client Your Forums Deserve Experience Discourse like never before. TopicFlow isn't just another web wrapper—it is a fully native, high-performance client built from scratch to replace the clunky web-view experience. Say goodbye to loading screens and lag. TopicFlow delivers the speed, fluidity, and intuitive gestures you expect from a premium mobile app. Why Upgrade to TopicFlow? - True Native Performance: Built for speed. Enjoy instant page loads, buttery-smooth scrolling, and zero input lag. - Mobile-First Design: Navigate threads, swipe to reply, and manage discussions with a UI designed specifically for your thumbs, not a mouse. - Unified Hub: Effortlessly manage multiple Discourse communities. Switch between forums instantly without losing your place. - Focus on Content: A clean, modern interface that strips away distractions, making reading and writing a joy. Don't settle for a browser disguised as an app. Download TopicFlow today and engage with your communities the right way—fast, fluid, and native.

Screenshots

Column Social4 screens
TopicFlow for Discourse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TopicFlow for Discourse at none against Column Social's 11. TopicFlow for Discourse also leads on ads (none vs shown). Column Social's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence 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. Column Social sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.00 per month. TopicFlow for Discourse asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Column Social ships an update every 3 weeks, TopicFlow for Discourse fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Column Social versus TopicFlow for Discourse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColumn SocialTopicFlow for Discourse
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—6 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB30 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperColumn IncLu Zhou

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Column Social

Subscriptions11
  • Medical Insights Hub$1.001 Month
  • Design Inspiration$1.001 Month
  • Future of Water$1.001 Month
Show 8 more
  • Future of Concrete$1.001 Month
  • Studio Visit$1.001 Month
  • Future of Katerva$1.001 Month
  • Oceans & Reefs$1.001 Month
  • Fun Learning$5.001 Month
  • Market Megatrends$5.001 Month
  • Cinecolumn$5.001 Month
  • Eternal September$19.991 Month
None

TopicFlow for Discourse

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Column Social free?
Column Social is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TopicFlow for Discourse free?
TopicFlow for Discourse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Column Social or TopicFlow for Discourse have ads?
Column Social shows ads; TopicFlow for Discourse does not.
Which is updated more often, Column Social or TopicFlow for Discourse?
Column Social ships an update every 3 weeks, and TopicFlow for Discourse fortnightly. Most recently, Column Social was updated on September 16, 2026 and TopicFlow for Discourse on September 20, 2026.

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