Comparison

time4words vs Japanese Edo clock

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

Head to head
About

time4words

This app displays the current time using words instead of numbers, offering a minimalist and elegant aesthetic. It allows for extensive customization of colors and languages, transforming your device into a stylish design object. The app is designed for users who appreciate aesthetics and a more relaxed approach to timekeeping.

Highlights
  • Time displayed in words
  • Eleven languages and dialects supported
  • Over 16 million customizable colors
  • Effect filters for personalization (HD version)
  • Auto-lock feature deactivation
  • Apple TV and HDMI adapter support
Features
Read full description

This fantastic clock app replaces the number-based time display with a minimalist text display: Time transformed into words will revolutionize the way you perceive time and use your clock. The way this clock shows you the current time is stylish and elegant, and the reassuring changing illumination of words helps decelerate your day. This clock will not indicate the time down to the last second, even though it calculates the time exactly โ€“ it is the aesthetic symbol for a human who, liberated from the pressure represented by the second hand, decoratively integrates this relaxed attitude in his or her living environment. With time4words, your device becomes a cult design object and attention-getter wherever you go and is the right clock app for all enthusiasts who appreciate aesthetics and refuse to let themselves be hurried by the clock.

About

Japanese Edo clock

Features
Read full description

Wadokei Graphic โ€“ Japanese Clock is a graphical Japanese clock app inspired by Japan's traditional seasonal time system. The beautiful design recreates the distinctive features of Japanese clocks, which change their divisions based on the length of day and night to suit modern time. - Simple, easy-to-read Japanese clock display - Automatic calculation of the length of time that changes between day and night - A calming design that evokes Japanese culture [v1.2.0] - Corrected the misalignment of the hour hand - Implemented a grid-type operation with the 24 solar terms mode [v1.3.0] - Reproduces the sound of a time bell using the time bell function - Also notifies users of names such as "U no Koku" (the hour of the rabbit) * Please allow notification permissions to use this app. [v2.0.0] - Home screen widget available in two sizes (purchase via in-app purchase) - Turning off Edo mode allows display in local time - Kansei calendar correction can now be turned off. When off, the day/night cycle and dial are displayed based on sunrise/sunset. - Advertisements are placed at the bottom. - v2.0.1 is a maintenance release. It fixes a bug in settings synchronization and stabilizes display and billing functions. - v2.0.2 is a maintenance release. Fixed a bug in the widget display. [v2.1.0] - The quarter-times line can now be Enable/Disable. - Fixed a widget display issue outside of Japan. - Please restart the app after changing your OS time zone. [v2.2.0] - Added selectable reference cities when Edo Mode is off - Added selection of a nearby reference city from current location - Improved display accuracy outside Japan with support for major world cities - Added and improved widget background themes - Added an option for louder time chimes - Improved display and widget synchronization stability [v2.2.2] - Fixed an issue with ad display - Improved GPS acquisition stability - Fixed widget language synchronization when set to Automatic [v2.2.4] - Improved the operational stability of the time signal. - Improved the recalculation process for time signal timings. [v2.2.5] - Fixed chime timing when Kansei calendar correction is disabled - Improved chime schedule updates when settings change [v2.2.6] - Improved widget time display stability - Improved widget updates after chimes and system changes - Added Bonn, Ludwigshafen, and Rodez to the reference city list [New v2.2.7] - Ready for iOS27 Why not incorporate a little Edo-era sense of time into your daily life?

Screenshots

time4words4 screens
Japanese Edo clock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: time4words at none against Japanese Edo clock's 1. Japanese Edo clock's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Japanese Edo clock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. time4words asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

time4words ships an update every 3 months, Japanese Edo clock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 5 level
time4words versus Japanese Edo clock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parametertime4wordsJapanese Edo clock
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
MonetizationFreeโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS16.415.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size49 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBuddhaCat PublishingANAHEIM TECHNOLOGY INC

In-app purchases

None

time4words

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Japanese Edo clock

One-time1
  • Enable the widget and Remove ads.$0.99

Questions

Is time4words free?
time4words is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Japanese Edo clock free?
Japanese Edo clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do time4words or Japanese Edo clock have ads?
Neither time4words nor Japanese Edo clock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, time4words or Japanese Edo clock?
time4words ships an update every 3 months, and Japanese Edo clock every 2 weeks. Most recently, time4words was updated on October 24, 2026 and Japanese Edo clock on October 14, 2026.

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