# Desk Clock vs Standby Clock

The clearest difference is update cadence: Desk Clock at every 9 days against Standby Clock's every 6 weeks. Desk Clock also leads on ratings volume (22K vs 716) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Desk Clock sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Standby Clock sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Desk Clock holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desk Clock has 22K ratings behind it against 716, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Desk Clock's written reviews are positive against 61% of Standby Clock's.

Desk Clock ships an update every 9 days, Standby Clock every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desk Clock | Standby Clock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desk-clock-analog-clock-face/id1253066126/reviews)** | [4.4 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standby-clock-on-lock-screen/id1466459620/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 716 |
| Positive reviews | **68.3% of reviews** | 61.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 117 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [翠玲 施](https://appshunter.io/developer/1181028776) | [云云 唐](https://appshunter.io/developer/1443085254) |

## What reviewers say

### Desk Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desk-clock-analog-clock-face/id1253066126)

This app transforms your devices into stylish timekeeping stations with a variety of analog and digital clock faces. It offers split-screen functionality to display time and calendar simultaneously, and integrates with Apple Watch for a cohesive look. Features include real-time seconds display, customizable widgets, and a smart alarm.

**Highlights:** Full-screen analog and digital clock faces, Split-screen time and calendar display, Apple Watch face synchronization, Real-time seconds display on widgets, Smart volume-adjusting alarm, Hourly chime and voice reminders

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All clock styles | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove All Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Professional Version | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⏱️ Accurate time display
- 🕰️ Variety of analog clock faces
- 🌙 Adjustable brightness for night use
- 🕰️ Useful as a bedside clock
- ⏱️ Helpful for timing activities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🤔 Confusing settings/options
- 🐛 Inconsistent second hand movement
- 🔍 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Ads reappear after reinstall
- Clock face doesn't update on lock screen
- Alarm stops after a few seconds

**Requested features**

- Add calendar view
- Implement 24-hour time format
- Allow custom clock face designs
- Add ability to set multiple alarms
- Improve widget functionality


### Standby Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standby-clock-on-lock-screen/id1466459620)

This app transforms your device into a full-screen digital clock with customizable fonts and colors. It offers a musical alarm, displays seconds on the dynamic island and lock screen, and can broadcast the time hourly. Enjoy background alarms with custom ringtones and various widget options.

**Highlights:** Full-screen digital time display, Seconds on dynamic island and lock screen, Customizable digital font styles and colors, Musical alarm with custom ringtones, Hourly chime and voice broadcasting, Lock screen and Home Screen widgets

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| All Clock Styles | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🕰️ Customizable clock display
- 💡 Useful night light feature
- 🔍 Clear and accurate time display

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Vertical time display not preferred
- 🕰️ Lack of additional features (e.g., weather, date)
- 💰 Paid app with limited free features
- 🔋 Short screen time before turning off

**Reported bugs**

- Clock not displaying properly on home screen
- Alarm not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add horizontal time display option
- Include weather and date information
- Improve screen timeout settings
- Offer more customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Desk Clock free?

Desk Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Standby Clock free?

Standby Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Desk Clock or Standby Clock?

Desk Clock is rated higher. Desk Clock averages 4.6 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Standby Clock averages 4.4 from 716 ratings.

### Do Desk Clock or Standby Clock have ads?

Both Desk Clock and Standby Clock show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Desk Clock or Standby Clock?

Desk Clock ships an update every 9 days, and Standby Clock every 6 weeks. Most recently, Desk Clock was updated on November 10, 2026 and Standby Clock on November 6, 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.*