# IRCCloud vs IceWarp IceChat

The clearest difference is rating: IRCCloud at 3.4 against IceWarp IceChat's 3.0. IRCCloud also leads on ratings volume (78 vs 3). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

IRCCloud holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IRCCloud has 78 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of IRCCloud's written reviews are positive against 50% of IceWarp IceChat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

IRCCloud ships an update every 3 months, IceWarp IceChat every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IRCCloud | IceWarp IceChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irccloud/id672699103/reviews)** | [3.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icewarp-icechat/id1104423422/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **78** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 48.5% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 21 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [IRCCloud Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/672699106) | [IceWarp Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/918986262) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### IceWarp IceChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icewarp-icechat/id1104423422)

A professional messenger for business collaboration, enabling colleagues to stay connected on the go. Features include real-time presence, private messaging, media and location sharing, and enhanced security with TouchID integration. Seamlessly syncs chat history with the web client for continuity across devices.

**Highlights:** Real-time colleague presence, Private messaging and group chats, Media and location sharing, TouchID security and chat locking, Split-screen multitasking view, Cross-device chat history sync, Giphy integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IRCCloud free?

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

### Is IceWarp IceChat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IRCCloud or IceWarp IceChat?

IRCCloud is rated higher. IRCCloud averages 3.4 out of 5 from 78 ratings, while IceWarp IceChat averages 3.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do IRCCloud or IceWarp IceChat have ads?

Neither IRCCloud nor IceWarp IceChat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IRCCloud or IceWarp IceChat?

IRCCloud ships an update every 3 months, and IceWarp IceChat every 5 months. Most recently, IRCCloud was updated on October 21, 2026 and IceWarp IceChat on October 24, 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.*