# Universal Widget vs ShortFlow

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Universal Widget at 100% against ShortFlow's 68%. ShortFlow's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Widget sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and ShortFlow sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShortFlow holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 158 and 196 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Universal Widget's written reviews are positive against 68% of ShortFlow's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Universal Widget ships an update every 3 weeks, ShortFlow every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Widget | ShortFlow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-widget/id1634045909/reviews) | **[4.7 (196 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortflow-lockscreen-shortcut/id1644057973/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 158 | **196** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 67.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 113 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Furmanov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1777119907) | [Kenneth Kao](https://appshunter.io/developer/288711611) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Widget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-widget/id1634045909)

Personalize your device's lock screen with a variety of informative and useful widgets. Choose from pre-made options or create your own custom widgets with unique information.

**Highlights:** Word Of The Day widget, Daily Countdown widget, Battery level widget, Custom Text widget, Build your own widget, Lock screen customization

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Small Donation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Medium Donation | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Donation | $19.99 | one-time |
| Massive Donation | $49.99 | one-time |


### ShortFlow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortflow-lockscreen-shortcut/id1644057973)

Access your favorite apps, websites, and custom shortcuts directly from your iPhone's Lock Screen. Create personalized widget buttons with a vast icon library for quick launching. Supports Always-On display and offers advanced customization options.

**Highlights:** Launch apps from Lock Screen, Open URLs from Lock Screen, Access Shortcuts app actions, Customizable widget buttons, Over 4,000 icons available, Supports Always-On display

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShortFlow Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Widget free?

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

### Is ShortFlow free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal Widget or ShortFlow?

ShortFlow is rated higher. Universal Widget averages 4.4 out of 5 from 158 ratings, while ShortFlow averages 4.7 from 196 ratings.

### Do Universal Widget or ShortFlow have ads?

Neither Universal Widget nor ShortFlow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Widget or ShortFlow?

Universal Widget ships an update every 3 weeks, and ShortFlow every 8 days. Most recently, Universal Widget was updated on September 28, 2026 and ShortFlow on September 7, 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.*