# Shortcuts vs Widget Custom HomeScreen

The clearest difference is rating: Shortcuts at 4.6 against Widget Custom HomeScreen's 4.1. Shortcuts also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). Widget Custom HomeScreen's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Widget Custom HomeScreen sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Shortcuts asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shortcuts holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shortcuts has 47K ratings behind it against 2.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of Shortcuts's written reviews are positive against 26% of Widget Custom HomeScreen's.

Shortcuts ships an update every 9 months, Widget Custom HomeScreen monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortcuts | Widget Custom HomeScreen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (47K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortcuts/id1462947752/reviews)** | [4.1 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widget-custom-homescreen/id1550940348/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **47K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | **49.2% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 9 MB | 214 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [GREEN DYGITAL CONSULTING LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482111344) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortcuts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortcuts/id1462947752)

Automate everyday tasks on your iPhone and iPad by creating custom workflows. Combine actions from your favorite apps to perform complex operations with a single tap, Siri command, or even automatically. Explore hundreds of built-in actions to streamline your digital life.

**Highlights:** Create custom automations, Hundreds of built-in actions, Integrates with favorite apps, Home Screen icons for quick access, Siri integration, Automatic task execution, Make animated GIFs, Create PDFs from Safari

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful automation capabilities
- 👍 Customizable app icons and widgets
- 🎨 Aesthetic customization options
- 💡 Useful for home automation and productivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, crashes, and exhibits unexpected behavior
- 🔍 Inaccessible and difficult to use
- 🔕 Annoying notification banners
- 🔌 Drains battery when running complex shortcuts

**Reported bugs**

- Shortcuts randomly stop working, requiring device restart
- Inconsistent behavior when adding/removing actions in shortcuts
- Shortcuts not syncing properly between devices
- Automations not running automatically as expected

**Requested features**

- Add 'and' statement for automations
- Allow toggling of silent mode on iPad and Apple Watch
- Provide option to disable notification banners
- Improve syncing and reliability between devices


### Widget Custom HomeScreen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widget-custom-homescreen/id1550940348)

Personalize your iPhone or iPad with custom themes, icons, and widgets. Transform your home screen with aesthetic wallpapers and unique styles. Integrates with the Health app for fitness tracking widgets.

**Highlights:** Customizable widgets (small, medium, large), Icon packs for custom shortcuts, Themed colors, fonts, and styles, 500+ 4K & HD Live wallpapers, Health app integration for fitness widgets, Step-by-step guides for setup

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Widget CustomHomeScreen:weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Widget Custom HomeScreen: PRO | $9.99 | per month |
| Widget | $29.99 | per year |
| Buy any one theme or icon pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Special Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Widget App Lifetime Offer | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Customizable widgets
- 👍 Aesthetic options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall for most features
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🤔 Limited free options

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets not saving properly
- App icons not working as expected
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- More free widget options
- Improved organization and search
- Halloween and Christmas themed widgets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortcuts free?

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

### Is Widget Custom HomeScreen free?

Widget Custom HomeScreen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shortcuts or Widget Custom HomeScreen?

Shortcuts is rated higher. Shortcuts averages 4.6 out of 5 from 47K ratings, while Widget Custom HomeScreen averages 4.1 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Shortcuts or Widget Custom HomeScreen have ads?

Widget Custom HomeScreen shows ads; Shortcuts does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shortcuts or Widget Custom HomeScreen?

Shortcuts ships an update every 9 months, and Widget Custom HomeScreen monthly. Most recently, Shortcuts was updated on October 15, 2026 and Widget Custom HomeScreen on October 14, 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.*