# Owla vs Haven

The clearest difference is update cadence: Owla at every 4 days against Haven's fortnightly. Owla also leads on device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Owla ships an update every 4 days, Haven fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Owla | Haven |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/haven-self-hosted-chat/id6811284639/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 82 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [GOLDEN OWL CONSULTING COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1602368175) | [Anthony Reffelt](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811284641) |

## What reviewers say

### Owla

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owla/id6772884814)

A modern, secure messaging app built on the open Matrix protocol. It offers end-to-end encryption, a familiar interface, and cross-device synchronization. Enjoy features like direct and group chats, threads, and file sharing, with optional AI assistance.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Matrix homeserver integration, Direct and group chats, Message threads and replies, File and media sharing, Cross-device synchronization, Optional AI assistant

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Haven

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/haven-self-hosted-chat/id6811284639)

This app offers private, end-to-end encrypted chat for communities that manage their own servers. It provides a rich set of communication features, including text and voice channels, file sharing, and customizable themes, all while giving users full control over their data.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted direct messages, Text, private, and group DMs, Voice and video calls, File and screen sharing, Customizable themes and settings, Self-hosted server option, Message deletion and auto-delete

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Owla free?

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

### Is Haven free?

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

### Do Owla or Haven have ads?

Neither Owla nor Haven shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Owla or Haven?

Owla ships an update every 4 days, and Haven fortnightly. Most recently, Owla was updated on November 13, 2026 and Haven on November 10, 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.*
