# Shortly vs MinimalLauncher

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MinimalLauncher at 67% against Shortly's 11%. MinimalLauncher also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). Shortly's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

MinimalLauncher is free to download; Shortly costs $0.99 up front. MinimalLauncher sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Shortly asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shortly ships an update every 5 months, MinimalLauncher fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortly | MinimalLauncher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimallauncher/id1501076764/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | 10.8% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Dressler](https://appshunter.io/developer/327199357) | [Akihiro Usui](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387267485) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortly/id337764686)

This utility allows you to create and manage short URLs using the Bitly service directly from your iPhone or iPad. Easily copy shortened links for use in other apps and track their click statistics with helpful charts. It also includes a tool to look up existing Bitlinks and their performance.

**Highlights:** Create short URLs (Bitlinks), Copy links to clipboard, Track click statistics, View charts and metadata, Bitlink lookup tool, Auto Shorten feature

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### MinimalLauncher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimallauncher/id1501076764)

This app offers a streamlined way to launch applications by displaying only their names, eliminating the need for icon grids and scrolling. It allows for extensive customization of app name appearance and offers advanced features like clipboard integration and URL scheme support.

**Highlights:** App names displayed instead of icons, Customizable app name colors, Insert line breaks and separators, Clipboard content display and URL setting, Change app icons, Home widget support, URL scheme support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Snack-Sized Tip | $0.49 | one-time |
| Restriction Removal | $1.99 | one-time |
| Coffee-Sized Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lunch-Sized Tip | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortly free?

Shortly costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MinimalLauncher free?

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

### Do Shortly or MinimalLauncher have ads?

MinimalLauncher shows ads; Shortly does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shortly or MinimalLauncher?

Shortly ships an update every 5 months, and MinimalLauncher fortnightly. Most recently, Shortly was updated on October 16, 2026 and MinimalLauncher on October 16, 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.*