Comparison

MinimalLauncher vs ScratchPads

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

Head to head
About

MinimalLauncher

This app offers a streamlined way to launch applications by displaying only their names, eliminating the need for icon grids and scrolling. It allows for extensive customization of app name appearance and offers advanced features like clipboard integration and URL scheme support.

Highlights
  • App names displayed instead of icons
  • Customizable app name colors
  • Insert line breaks and separators
  • Clipboard content display and URL setting
  • Change app icons
  • Home widget support
  • URL scheme support
Features
Read full description

MinimalLauncher is a minimal launcher app that displays only app names. There are many launcher apps available on the App Store, and most of them launch apps by tapping displayed icons. With those launcher apps, when you register many apps, the screen quickly becomes filled with icons, and in some cases you need to scroll in order to launch apps located at the bottom. Although the purpose of using a launcher app is to quickly launch apps, I personally found it bothersome that scrolling adds an extra step. With this in mind, I thought it would be nice to have a launcher app that can display a large number of apps on one screen by listing only app names, and so I created MinimalLauncher. The number varies depending on the device's screen size and the font size and spacing settings for app names, but it is possible to display around 100 apps on one screen. *Please note that before removing the limitation via an in-app purchase, the number of apps that can be registered is limited to 10. After checking the usability, you can make an in-app purchase to remove the limitation and register apps without restriction. *Please note that this app does not have a feature that automatically sets a URL scheme when you select an app. By using Apple's official "Shortcuts" app, you can launch apps that do not have a URL scheme or whose URL scheme is unknown. For details, please refer to the following URL: https://broad-connect.net/2020/03/01/minimallaunchershortcut/ ◆Main Features ・A set of three launchers-MainLauncher, LeftLauncher, and RightLauncher-that can be switched instantly by swiping left or right. ・Freely set the color of each app name (separate colors can be set for Light Mode and Dark Mode) ・Insert line breaks or separators at arbitrary positions ・Display clipboard contents (enter "_CLIP_" as the app name) ・Set URLs using clipboard contents (enter "_ENCCLIP_" in the URL; for example, if you set the URL to "http://www.google.com/search?q=_ENCCLIP_", you can search Google using the clipboard contents) ・Change app icons ・Home widget support (there are limitations described below; please note that these apply) ・URL scheme support   Launch: minimallauncher://   Add app: minimallauncher://add/?name=[Name]&url=[URL] *Please note that when using "_CLIP_" or "_ENCCLIP_", on iOS 16 and later, an alert related to pasting is displayed every time. This issue can be avoided by updating the OS to iOS 16.1 or later and changing the following settings in the Settings app. ①In the Settings app, select "MinimalLauncher" and then select "Paste from Other Apps". ②Change the setting to "Allow". *Please note that even after changing the setting to "Allow", notifications related to pasting will still be displayed. Due to iOS limitations, these notifications cannot be turned off. ◆Home Widget Limitations ・Since the home widget has a fixed size, it may not be able to display all registered apps.  In that case, please adjust the settings by reducing the font size in the MinimalLauncher app's settings screen or by moving apps you want to prioritize toward the top.  (If you tap the blank area of the home widget, the MinimalLauncher app itself will launch, so you can start apps that could not be displayed in the widget from there.) ・Due to iOS limitations, the home widget cannot access the clipboard.  Therefore, it does not support the feature that displays clipboard contents using "_CLIP_". ・Due to iOS limitations, the home widget cannot directly launch each registered app.  As a result, each registered app is launched after going through the MinimalLauncher app once. ・The launcher in the home widget is generated using a completely different mechanism from the launcher displayed in the MinimalLauncher app itself.  Please note that, as a result, the layout, fonts, and other aspects may not be 100% identical to those of the launcher displayed in the app itself.

About

ScratchPads

Quickly jot down notes and have them automatically saved. This utility app offers multiple scratch pads for easy organization and instant recall of your thoughts. Simply close the app to save your work.

Highlights
  • Multiple scratch pads
  • Automatic note saving
  • Quick text deletion
  • Restores last active pad
  • Simple interface
Features
Read full description

Very simplistic utility app to allow for scratch pad notes to be quickly added and automatically saved. USE: Open app, select one of the "Pads", and record scratch pad notes. To clear a pad, tap the trash icon in the upper right side of the screen and then confirm to delete the pad text. To save the text, just close the app. FEATURES: Five different "Pads" to store scratch pad notes. Delete all text on a Pad with two taps. Scratch pad notes are automatically saved when the app is closed, and restored the next time the app is opened. The last active Pad tab is saved when the app is closed, and restored the next time the app is opened.

Screenshots

MinimalLauncher3 screens
ScratchPads3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MinimalLauncher at Free against ScratchPads's $0.99. MinimalLauncher also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months). ScratchPads's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MinimalLauncher is free to download; ScratchPads costs $0.99 up front. MinimalLauncher sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. ScratchPads asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ScratchPads holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of MinimalLauncher's written reviews are positive against 100% of ScratchPads's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MinimalLauncher ships an update fortnightly, ScratchPads every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
MinimalLauncher versus ScratchPads: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMinimalLauncherScratchPads
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 10 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB0 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAkihiro UsuiThomas Dalke

Customer experience

MinimalLauncher

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

ScratchPads

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

MinimalLauncher

One-time4
  • Snack-Sized Tip$0.49
  • Restriction Removal$1.99
  • Coffee-Sized Tip$1.99
Show 1 more
  • Lunch-Sized Tip$3.99
None

ScratchPads

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MinimalLauncher free?
MinimalLauncher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ScratchPads free?
ScratchPads costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MinimalLauncher or ScratchPads?
ScratchPads is rated higher. MinimalLauncher averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while ScratchPads averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do MinimalLauncher or ScratchPads have ads?
MinimalLauncher shows ads; ScratchPads does not.
Which is updated more often, MinimalLauncher or ScratchPads?
MinimalLauncher ships an update fortnightly, and ScratchPads every 10 months. Most recently, MinimalLauncher was updated on September 25, 2026 and ScratchPads on September 26, 2026.

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