# Needs Bars vs The Growth Diaries

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Needs Bars at none against The Growth Diaries's 1. The Growth Diaries's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Growth Diaries sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per year. Needs Bars asks for nothing beyond the download.

Needs Bars ships an update every 3 weeks, The Growth Diaries every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Needs Bars | The Growth Diaries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/needs-bars/id1615760627/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fergal Armstrong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615760629) | [Jazzlab Tech AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551986140) |

## What reviewers say

### Needs Bars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/needs-bars/id1615760627)

This app provides a visual cue for activities you need to do regularly but don't fit into traditional to-do lists or calendars. It acts like a 'hunger bar' for any habit, reminding you when too much time has passed without completing a task. Useful for self-care, staying connected, or practicing skills.

**Highlights:** Visual cue for regular tasks, Syncing between devices, Dark mode, Home and lock screen widgets, Customizable reminders for self-care

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Growth Diaries

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-growth-diaries/id1661453949)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full access | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Needs Bars free?

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

### Is The Growth Diaries free?

The Growth Diaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Needs Bars or The Growth Diaries have ads?

Neither Needs Bars nor The Growth Diaries shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Needs Bars or The Growth Diaries?

Needs Bars ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Growth Diaries every 9 days. Most recently, Needs Bars was updated on September 16, 2026 and The Growth Diaries on September 11, 2026.

---

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