Monal

Open-source XMPP chat client for iPhone, iPad and Mac, with modern encrypted messaging.

Verified facts: 3 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Monal

Monal is an XMPP chat app for Apple devices, aiming to be on iOS and macOS what Conversations is on Android. XMPP is an open, federated chat standard, so you can sign in with an account from any XMPP provider or your own server and chat with people on other servers and clients. Monal supports group chats, file sharing, push notifications on iOS, voice calls and OMEMO end-to-end encryption, and is built natively for iPhone, iPad and Mac. The project dates back to 2002 and is now maintained by a small team in Germany, with a strong focus on privacy: it is free, open source under a BSD license and does not track users. It is a good fit for people who already use XMPP or run their own server. You still need to choose an XMPP provider, and features depend partly on what that server supports.

Best for: iPhone and Mac users who want an independent XMPP messenger.

What works

Native XMPP client for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Works with any XMPP server, including your own
Free, open source and tracker-free

Why people leave

Apple devices only
Needs an XMPP account from a provider you choose
Small developer team

Top Monal alternatives

See all 4

1
Conversations
The leading XMPP client on Android, for mixed-platform groups.
66.5
2
Gajim
A desktop XMPP client for Windows and Linux users.
62.6
3
Apple Messages (iMessage)
Apple's built-in app is simpler if your contacts are all on Apple devices.
59.6
4
Signal
A widely used encrypted messenger that needs no server choice.
57.2

Why people left Monal

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Monal: common questions

Is Monal free?

Yes, Monal is free to use.

Is Monal open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at monal-im/Monal.

What platforms does Monal run on?

Monal is available for macOS and iOS.

What are the best alternatives to Monal?

The highest-ranked Monal alternatives right now are Conversations, Gajim and Apple Messages (iMessage). See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 Monal alternatives

Monal facts

3 of 3 verified

Platforms: iOS and macOS; Checked Oct 25, 2026monal-im.org(opens source in a new tab); “Privacy like it's 1999 Monal is an XMPP instant messaging client for macOS and iOS”
License: BSD; Checked Oct 25, 2026monal-im.org(opens source in a new tab); “Monal is developed under an open-source BSD license”
Origins: 2002; Checked Oct 25, 2026monal-im.org(opens source in a new tab); “18 68642 Bürstadt Germany eMail: info[at]monal[minus]im[dot]org About # Monal originates in 2002 as fork of the SworIM app.”