# Circles vs Payday Timer

The clearest difference is device support: Circles at 3 against Payday Timer's 1. Circles also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Payday Timer's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Circles against 5.0 for Payday Timer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

Circles ships an update every 5 months, Payday Timer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Circles | Payday Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circles-track-n-save/id1520967527/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/payday-timer-paycheck-tracker/id6758225867/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 19 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mario Matrone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403882854) | [Jonathan Burks](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822879152) |

## What reviewers say

### Circles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circles-track-n-save/id1520967527)

This expense tracker app automatically divides your income into six distinct categories to help you manage your money effectively. It follows the principles of the six-jar system to promote awareness of spending habits and long-term savings.

**Highlights:** Automatic income splitting into 6 categories, Expense tracking, Money management awareness, Long-term savings goal support, Six jar system implementation

**In-app purchases:** none


### Payday Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/payday-timer-paycheck-tracker/id6758225867)

Easily track your upcoming paychecks with a clear countdown to your next payday. Monitor earnings from multiple jobs, mark payments as received, and view detailed income history and statistics. All your paycheck information in one straightforward, ad-free app.

**Highlights:** Paycheck countdown with amount and date, Track multiple income sources, Mark paychecks as paid, View paycheck history, Earnings statistics and projections, Income graphs by source and time

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Circles free?

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

### Is Payday Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Circles or Payday Timer?

Circles and Payday Timer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Circles or Payday Timer have ads?

Neither Circles nor Payday Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Circles or Payday Timer?

Circles ships an update every 5 months, and Payday Timer every 3 months. Most recently, Circles was updated on October 17, 2026 and Payday Timer on October 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*