# Photo Widget vs Widget Lab

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Photo Widget at 78% against Widget Lab's 31%. Photo Widget also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and rating (4.4 vs 3.9). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Widget Lab sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Photo Widget asks for nothing beyond the download.

Photo Widget holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 421 and 399 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Photo Widget's written reviews are positive against 31% of Widget Lab's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Widget | Widget Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (421 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget-aesthetic-basic/id1574163401/reviews)** | [3.9 (399 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widget-lab-standby-themes/id1574611121/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **421** | 399 |
| Positive reviews | **78.2% of reviews** | 31.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 204 MB | 285 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [25 Degrees Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1574163403) | [Ningbo If Technology Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483428587) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Widget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget-aesthetic-basic/id1574163401)

Quickly call your favorite contacts directly from your home screen with custom photos. Personalize your phone's display with functional widgets for one-tap calling.

**Highlights:** Speed dial favorite contacts, Customize home screen, One-click calling, Add custom photos, Easy setup and use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Customizable widgets
- 💡 Innovative design options
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 🆓 Completely free app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with some devices
- 🤔 Confusing widget setup process
- 🕰️ Lack of 12-hour time format option

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets not appearing on home screen after setup
- App crashing or freezing when accessing certain sections
- Repeated prompts to rate the app

**Requested features**

- Add mini-games or activities to earn rewards
- Improve widget downloading and placement functionality
- Provide more color and theme options


### Widget Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widget-lab-standby-themes/id1574611121)

Personalize your home screen with a variety of useful widgets. Track system info, enjoy daily poems, set countdowns for important dates, and make waiting times more enjoyable. More widgets are continuously being added.

**Highlights:** Personalize home screen, System Info Widget, Daily Poems Widget, Count Down Widget, Slack Off Widget, Customizable widgets

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Quarterly | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Standby | Free | one-time |
| 时钟小组件 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Retro widget | $0.99 | one-time |
| Life Widget | $4.99 | one-time |
| musicwidget | $4.99 | one-time |
| Charge animation | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $15.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Cute and creative widgets
- 💖 Customizable lock screen options
- 🎵 Music sharing and playback features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches with widgets
- 💰 Many features require paid subscription
- 🌐 Language and localization issues
- 🔍 Difficulty connecting to music services

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets not displaying properly
- App crashes or fails to open
- Music playback issues and sync problems

**Requested features**

- Add more music service options (e.g. YouTube Music)
- Improve widget reliability and functionality
- Provide better language support and localization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo Widget free?

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

### Is Widget Lab free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Photo Widget or Widget Lab?

Photo Widget is rated higher. Photo Widget averages 4.4 out of 5 from 421 ratings, while Widget Lab averages 3.9 from 399 ratings.

### Do Photo Widget or Widget Lab have ads?

Both Photo Widget and Widget Lab show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photo Widget or Widget Lab?

Photo Widget ships an update fortnightly, and Widget Lab fortnightly. Most recently, Photo Widget was updated on September 20, 2026 and Widget Lab on September 28, 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.*