# charging play vs MagicWidgets

The clearest difference is monetization model: charging play at free with in-app purchases against MagicWidgets's subscription. charging play also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 14.0). MagicWidgets's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. charging play sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and MagicWidgets sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MagicWidgets holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 7.3K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 36% and 35% positive.

charging play ships an update monthly, MagicWidgets fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | charging play | MagicWidgets |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charging-play/id1532220797/reviews) | **[4.7 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicwidgets-photo-widgets/id1533414094/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 7.3K |
| Positive reviews | **36.1% of reviews** | 35.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 123 MB | 265 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [妮琳 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565967537) | [DXPLORER TECHNOLOGY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503310198) |

## What reviewers say

### charging play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charging-play/id1532220797)

Enhance your charging experience with custom animations. This app automatically displays vibrant visuals when your device is plugged in or placed on a wireless charger, and exits when charging stops. It also intelligently calibrates charging percentage data for a more personalized display.

**Highlights:** Automatic charging animation display, Wireless charging animation support, Intelligent charging percentage calibration, IOS 14 shortcut command automation, Automatic exit when charging stops

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced features | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Works well
- 💕 Enjoyable to use
- 🝮 Customizable animations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy
- 🤔 Confusing to use
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 🤯 Crashes frequently
- 🙄 Unnecessary notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Can't change animation after initial setup
- App gets stuck on charging screen
- Ads don't close properly
- Compatibility issues with certain phones
- Sound doesn't work with headphones

**Requested features**

- Allow changing animations while locked
- Add more animation options
- Make it work with headphones
- Improve translation quality
- Add widget support


### MagicWidgets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicwidgets-photo-widgets/id1533414094)

Personalize your device's lock and home screens with custom widgets. Add photos, text, clocks, calendars, and countdowns for important events. Choose from various styles and fonts to make your screen unique and functional.

**Highlights:** Lock screen widgets for iOS 16, Home screen customization, Photo and text widgets, Clock and calendar styles, Countdown timers for events, Customizable fonts and colors, Image upload from local album

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MagicWidgets Promotion | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| MagicWidgets Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| MagicWidgets Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| MagicWidgets Premium | $19.99 | per month |
| MagicWidgets Premium | $49.99 | per 3 months |
| MagicWidgets Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| MagicWidgets Premium | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌴 Customizable home screen
- 🎨 Variety of widget designs
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Slow loading times
- 💰 Paywall for many features
- 🔍 Confusing navigation
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📺 Excessive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets not saving properly
- App crashes on certain devices
- Compatibility issues with older OS versions

**Requested features**

- More free widget options
- Ability to import custom images
- Improved widget customization
- Reduced ads or ad-free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is charging play free?

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

### Is MagicWidgets free?

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

### Which has better reviews, charging play or MagicWidgets?

MagicWidgets is rated higher. charging play averages 4.5 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while MagicWidgets averages 4.7 from 7.3K ratings.

### Do charging play or MagicWidgets have ads?

charging play shows ads; MagicWidgets does not.

### Which is updated more often, charging play or MagicWidgets?

charging play ships an update monthly, and MagicWidgets fortnightly. Most recently, charging play was updated on September 24, 2026 and MagicWidgets on September 20, 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.*