# Pomocat vs ReadUp

Pomocat and ReadUp both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Pomocat's written reviews are positive against 50% of ReadUp's. Pomocat also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (535 vs 9). ReadUp's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pomocat sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ReadUp sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pomocat holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pomocat has 535 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Pomocat's written reviews are positive against 50% of ReadUp's.

Pomocat ships an update every 3 weeks, ReadUp every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pomocat | ReadUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (535 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomocat-adorable-focus-timer/id1667838757/reviews)** | [4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readup-read-for-screen-time/id6790545729/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **535** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **94.2% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 146 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Jaeil Roh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1569364106) | [Nedas Mikucionis](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790545731) |

## What reviewers say

### Pomocat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomocat-adorable-focus-timer/id1667838757)

This app helps you focus on tasks with a cute cat companion and calming white noise. It offers customizable timers, progress tracking, and the ability to focus with friends. Premium features include reminders, more sound options, and advanced to-do list management.

**Highlights:** Cute cat animations, Relaxing white noise, Focus with friends, Progress tracking, Customizable timers, Dark mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly Pass | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Semiannual Pass | $13.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium Annual Pass | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Cute and aesthetically pleasing design
- 👍 Intuitive and simple user interface
- 🎵 Quality variety of focus and break sounds
- ⚙️ Customizable timer ratios and durations
- 🆓 Generous free version with core functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💳 Premium features required for multiple tasks
- 💳 Limited customization without premium
- 🔊 Aggressive meowing sound at timer end
- 🐛 Number overlap on some phone screens
- 🎨 Limited color customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Numbers overlap on certain phone displays
- Theme compatibility issues with iOS 18

**Requested features**

- Home screen widgets for timer tracking
- iPad widget support
- Dynamic Island timer display for background tracking
- More color customization for cat and app interface
- Built-in to-do list functionality


### ReadUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readup-read-for-screen-time/id6790545729)

This app encourages reading by temporarily blocking distracting applications. Users set reading goals and unlock their apps only after completing their reading sessions, promoting focused engagement with content.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps, Set reading goals, Unlock apps after reading, Curated book library, Focused reading experience, Track reading progress

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access (Weekly) | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access (Discounted Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| Full Access (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Full Access (YearlyNT) | $49.99 | per year |
| Full Access (Yearly) | $50.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pomocat free?

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

### Is ReadUp free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pomocat or ReadUp?

Pomocat is rated higher. Pomocat averages 4.9 out of 5 from 535 ratings, while ReadUp averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do Pomocat or ReadUp have ads?

Pomocat shows ads; ReadUp does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pomocat or ReadUp?

Pomocat ships an update every 3 weeks, and ReadUp every 10 days. Most recently, Pomocat was updated on October 30, 2026 and ReadUp on October 25, 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.*