Comparison

Aerune vs Colossus Social Reader

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

Head to head
About

Aerune

A fast, lightweight client for the AT Protocol, designed exclusively for iOS and iPadOS. It offers a refined native experience with smooth performance, fluid transitions, and a clean interface optimized for larger screens and power users. Includes built-in moderation tools for a safer timeline.

Highlights
  • Native UI for Apple platforms
  • Optimized for iPad Split View
  • Seamless multi-account switching
  • Timestamp toggle
  • Built-in moderation tools
  • Multilingual support
Features
Read full description

Aerune is a fast, lightweight Bluesky (AT Protocol) client built exclusively for iOS and iPadOS. Designed with SwiftUI from the ground up, Aerune delivers a refined native experience with smooth scrolling, fluid transitions, and a clean interface focused on usability. [Key Features] • True Native UI Built specifically for Apple platforms, ensuring smooth performance and an interface that feels natural and responsive. • Fully Optimized for iPad Take full advantage of larger screens with a dynamic Split View layout that adapts to different sizes and orientations. • Designed for Power Users • Seamless multi-account switching • Absolute / relative timestamp toggle • Built-in Moderation Support for muting, blocking, and reporting to maintain a safe and comfortable timeline. • Multilingual Support Fully available in both languages. Upgrade your Bluesky experience with Aerune.

About

Colossus Social Reader

Features
Read full description

Read Mastodon in your language. Free, ad-free, with on-device translation. An independent Mastodon reader that lets you read and reply to posts in other languages using manual or automatic translation powered by Apple Translation. Access your Home, Lists, Bookmarks, and Notifications timelines with fast updates, complete threads, and a new-post counter that preserves your position. Translation is native, processed on-device, and does not send text to external translation services. With Slow Mode, translation is prepared in the background and displayed when you tap the translation button. Customize your experience with Liquid Glass, Light, Dark, and Soft themes, plus a configurable accent color. Also included: • Navigable mentions and profiles, with a Follow button. • Native video and GIF player. • Image viewer with zoom and direct saving to Photos. • Selectable text. • Built-in or external browser. • Spanish and English localization. This is an independent, unofficial Mastodon client. Account creation is not supported. To use the app, sign in with an existing Mastodon account created at: https://joinmastodon.org End User License Agreement (EULA): https://juliocuesta.github.io/LectorDeMastodon/en/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://juliocuesta.github.io/LectorDeMastodon/en/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Aerune4 screens
Colossus Social Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Aerune at every 4 days against Colossus Social Reader's every 9 days. Aerune also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aerune ships an update every 4 days, Colossus Social Reader every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 6 level
Aerune versus Colossus Social Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAeruneColossus Social Reader
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB129 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMITSUKI HAMADAJulio Cuesta

In-app purchases

None

Aerune

No in-app purchases

None

Colossus Social Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aerune free?
Aerune is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Colossus Social Reader free?
Colossus Social Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Aerune or Colossus Social Reader have ads?
Neither Aerune nor Colossus Social Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aerune or Colossus Social Reader?
Aerune ships an update every 4 days, and Colossus Social Reader every 9 days. Most recently, Aerune was updated on October 17, 2026 and Colossus Social Reader on October 14, 2026.

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