# FLIP vs Study Circle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Circle at none against FLIP's 10. Study Circle also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). FLIP's advantage is ratings volume (894 vs 47). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FLIP sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month. Study Circle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Study Circle holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FLIP has 894 ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of FLIP's written reviews are positive against 90% of Study Circle's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FLIP | Study Circle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (894 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flip-focus-timer-for-study/id1435127190/reviews) | **[4.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **894** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | 87.7% of reviews | **90.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 146 MB | 188 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rinasoft Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/386505937) | [Hikaru Hanada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1619728671) |

## What reviewers say

### FLIP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flip-focus-timer-for-study/id1435127190)

This app helps improve study habits by accurately measuring focus time. It offers features like global study groups, real-time study tracking, and detailed statistics to enhance concentration and productivity.

**Highlights:** Accurate time measurement by flipping phone, Focus level measurement, Global study groups (FLIP ZONE), Real-time study tracking (LIVE), Study time statistics and reports, D-day countdown for goals

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $2.00 | per month |
| 6 Months Premium Membership | $10.00 | per 6 months |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $18.00 | per year |
| Premium Service - 1Month | $1.99 | one-time |
| Charging 2500 points | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Service - 3Months | $4.99 | one-time |
| Charging 5900 points | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Service - 6 Months | $7.99 | one-time |
| Premium Service - 12 Months | $14.99 | one-time |
| Charging 20000 points | $15.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Motivating and helpful for studying
- 👍 Cute and aesthetically pleasing design
- 🚀 Useful features like goals, timers, and tracking
- 🤝 Social aspect with study groups and leaderboards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🔒 Concerns about premium features and in-app purchases
- 📱 Issues with syncing and editing data across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Ranking and leaderboard data not updating properly
- Study time not being saved or recorded accurately
- Language settings not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add more customization options for themes and layouts
- Improve the user interface and navigation
- Implement an Apple Watch app for easier tracking
- Allow more flexibility in setting and editing study goals


### Study Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919)

This app helps users boost motivation and make studying enjoyable by connecting them with friends. It offers a focus timer, progress visualization, and a community feature for mutual support and encouragement during study sessions.

**Highlights:** Virtual study circles with friends, Intuitive study timer, Send encouragement and support messages, Visualize study progress with charts, Track daily, weekly, and monthly progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FLIP free?

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

### Is Study Circle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FLIP or Study Circle?

Study Circle is rated higher. FLIP averages 4.5 out of 5 from 894 ratings, while Study Circle averages 4.7 from 47 ratings.

### Do FLIP or Study Circle have ads?

Both FLIP and Study Circle show ads.

### Which is updated more often, FLIP or Study Circle?

FLIP ships an update fortnightly, and Study Circle fortnightly. Most recently, FLIP was updated on September 20, 2026 and Study Circle on September 23, 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.*