# TextWatch vs Digital Time

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TextWatch at none against Digital Time's 3. TextWatch also leads on rating (3.4 vs 2.9). Digital Time's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (36% vs 20%). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Digital Time sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. TextWatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

TextWatch holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 80 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of TextWatch's written reviews are positive against 36% of Digital Time's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TextWatch ships an update every 8 months, Digital Time every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TextWatch | Digital Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textwatch-complications/id1524130899/reviews)** | [2.9 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-time-complication/id1559406042/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **80** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **35.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marcel Hagmann](https://appshunter.io/developer/993809307) | [Joseph Peplowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1082907264) |

## What reviewers say

### TextWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textwatch-complications/id1524130899)

Personalize your Apple Watch face with custom text reminders and messages. Easily create and sync single-line or multi-line items from your iPhone to your watch, then select which text to display.

**Highlights:** Custom text reminders, Single-line and multi-line support, iPhone and Apple Watch sync, Watch face complication integration, Easy item selection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Digital Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-time-complication/id1559406042)

Display the current digital time directly on analog watch faces. This app enhances glanceability for users who prefer analog aesthetics but need quick access to precise time information. Customize time and date formats to suit your preferences.

**Highlights:** Digital time on analog faces, Customizable time formats, Customizable date formats, Available on all non-digital watch faces, Enhances glanceability

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Jar 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar 5 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for analog faces
- 👍 Useful complication
- 👍 Works as advertised (sometimes)
- 👍 Customizable options
- 👍 Good for 24-hour format

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Time doesn't update
- 🐛 Stops updating regularly
- 🐛 Freezes after sleep mode
- 🐛 Unreliable
- 🐛 Useless when not syncing

**Reported bugs**

- Time stops updating
- Time freezes after sleep mode
- Complication stuck at a particular time
- Time does not refresh
- App does not download or start working

**Requested features**

- Larger time display option
- Ability to change language of days/months
- Fix 24-hour format display (leading zero)
- Color matching for aesthetic bars


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TextWatch free?

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

### Is Digital Time free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TextWatch or Digital Time?

TextWatch is rated higher. TextWatch averages 3.4 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Digital Time averages 2.9 from 80 ratings.

### Do TextWatch or Digital Time have ads?

Neither TextWatch nor Digital Time shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TextWatch or Digital Time?

TextWatch ships an update every 8 months, and Digital Time every 2 weeks. Most recently, TextWatch was updated on October 21, 2026 and Digital Time on October 22, 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.*