# Whaller vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Whaller at 91% against Mastodon's 48%. Whaller also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.6). Mastodon's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Whaller holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastodon has 13K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Whaller's written reviews are positive against 48% of Mastodon's.

Whaller ships an update every 3 weeks, Mastodon monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whaller | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whaller/id860673956/reviews)** | [4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 53 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Whaller](https://appshunter.io/developer/860673959) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### Whaller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whaller/id860673956)

This platform enables users to create, join, and manage secure social and collaborative networks. It utilizes "spheres" for independent communication and collaboration spaces, offering features like video conferencing and file sharing. Security and data privacy are paramount, with no advertising or commercial use of personal data.

**Highlights:** Create and manage infinite networks, Utilize 'spheres' for independent communication, Join video conferences, Share and comment on messages, View events and shared files, Access organization portals

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mastodon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974)

Connect with others on a decentralized social network. Share posts, images, and videos in chronological order without algorithms or ads. Discover new content and participate in conversations across the fediverse.

**Highlights:** Chronological feed, No algorithms or ads, Discover new users and topics, Post with images, videos, and polls, Create custom lists, Filter content, Cross-platform communication

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Friendly and welcoming community
- 🚀 Decentralized and free from corporate control
- 🔒 No data collection or ads
- 🤖 Good alternative to Twitter
- 💡 Ability to self-host servers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Confusing onboarding and server selection
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to web version
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and following people
- 🕰️ Slow or delayed notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Can't log in or create account
- Keyboard freezes during editing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching accounts
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add local and federated timelines
- Improve search and discovery features
- Implement edit and delete post functionality
- Add support for animated GIFs
- Provide better accessibility options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whaller free?

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

### Is Mastodon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Whaller or Mastodon?

Whaller is rated higher. Whaller averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

### Do Whaller or Mastodon have ads?

Neither Whaller nor Mastodon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Whaller or Mastodon?

Whaller ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mastodon monthly. Most recently, Whaller was updated on September 10, 2026 and Mastodon on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*