# Photo Widget․ vs StandBy

The clearest difference is rating: Photo Widget․ at 4.7 against StandBy's 3.3. Photo Widget․ also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 8 days) and ratings volume (604 vs 44). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photo Widget․ sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per year and StandBy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per 6 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Photo Widget․ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Photo Widget․ has 604 ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Photo Widget․'s written reviews are positive against 60% of StandBy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Photo Widget․ ships an update daily, StandBy every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Widget․ | StandBy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (604 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget/id1533952117/reviews)** | [3.3 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standby-widgets/id6468032432/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **604** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 52.5% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 8 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 18 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TAPUNIVERSE LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462862671) | [Twinstar Creatives](https://appshunter.io/developer/1378171714) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Widget․

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget/id1533952117)

Personalize your device's home screen by adding widgets that display your cherished photos. Organize pictures into collections and choose between ordered or random playback. Optionally, add dates and custom text to your widgets for a unique touch.

**Highlights:** Unlimited photo widgets, Unlimited photo collections, Reframing photos for display, Ordered or random photo playback, Add custom text notes, Display current date

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PhotoBox+ | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Smooth slideshow functionality
- 📱 Works well as a home screen widget
- ⚡ Easy to set up and use
- 🖼️ Supports photo uploads from albums

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive subscription model with limited free tier
- 🚫 Free version restricted to one collection only
- 😤 Misleading 'free' trial offers (3-day trial disguised as free)
- 🔄 Switched from one-time purchase to subscription
- ⚠️ Expensive pricing ($20/month mentioned)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when importing over 100 photos
- High crash risk at 500+ photo imports
- Widget fails to update even after selecting album and interval
- App doesn't work reliably (multiple reports)
- Widget not appearing on device after setup

**Requested features**

- Lifetime purchase option instead of subscription
- Photo cropping functionality
- Day of week display in date format
- Smaller font size options
- Live Photo icon widget style


### StandBy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standby-widgets/id6468032432)

Transform your iPhone into a smart bedside display while charging. View widgets like clocks, calendars, and photos in landscape mode. Customize themes for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Smart landscape display mode, Bedside clock functionality, Digital photo frame, Customizable widgets (clock, calendar, photo), Themed interfaces, Pro features with subscription

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StandBy+ | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| StandBy+ | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🎨 Creative customization options
- ✨ Visually appealing designs
- ✅ Works as intended (for some)
- 💰 One-time purchase (for some)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 App requires payment
- 🚫 Widgets are paid
- 📉 Limited free designs
- 💰 Greedy money grab
- ❌ Non-functional without payment

**Reported bugs**

- Clock not accurate
- Standby widgets not working (weather, date)
- Weather widget does not recognize location
- Weather widget fails to update in standby/homescreen
- App doesn't request location permissions for weather

**Requested features**

- Fix standby widgets (weather, date)
- Improve weather widget location recognition
- Make app functional without immediate payment
- Add more diverse widget designs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo Widget․ free?

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

### Is StandBy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Photo Widget․ or StandBy?

Photo Widget․ is rated higher. Photo Widget․ averages 4.7 out of 5 from 604 ratings, while StandBy averages 3.3 from 44 ratings.

### Do Photo Widget․ or StandBy have ads?

Neither Photo Widget․ nor StandBy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photo Widget․ or StandBy?

Photo Widget․ ships an update daily, and StandBy every 8 days. Most recently, Photo Widget․ was updated on October 25, 2026 and StandBy on October 24, 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.*