# Zulu Time vs Julian

The clearest difference is price: Julian at Free against Zulu Time's $0.99. Julian also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). Zulu Time's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#75 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Julian is free to download; Zulu Time costs $0.99 up front. Julian sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Zulu Time asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Zulu Time against 4.8 for Julian. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.6K and 4.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Zulu Time's written reviews are positive against 67% of Julian's.

Zulu Time ships an update every 3 months, Julian every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zulu Time | Julian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zulu-time/id377289826/reviews)** | [4.8 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/julian-quick-dates/id1084251583/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.6K | **4.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.6% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#75** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Derek Spears](https://appshunter.io/developer/377289829) | [Juan Carlos Perez](https://appshunter.io/developer/931213788) |

## What reviewers say

### Zulu Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zulu-time/id377289826)

**Currently charting:** #75 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This app displays local and UTC (Zulu) time, along with multiple time zones, on your iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. It offers widgets for quick access and features for calculating future or past times with offsets, simplifying timezone conversions for various professions.

**Highlights:** Display local and Zulu (UTC) time, Multiple time zone display, Home and Lock Screen widgets, Apple Watch complications, Future/past time offset calculations, Time zone conversion

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Zulu time on command
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Easy to read and use
- 👍 Excellent for aviation and radio operators
- 👍 Customizable and syncs correctly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Watch complication not updating consistently
- 🐛 Local time not displaying correctly on widget
- 🐛 Complication shows only hours, not full time
- 🐛 Difficulty setting with Daylight Saving Time

**Reported bugs**

- Complication freezes after a few days
- Zulu time loses accuracy over time on Apple Watch
- Widget not updating local time properly

**Requested features**

- Add alarm feature
- Allow landscape mode for bedside clock view
- Provide option for always-on display
- Add time zone map for quick reference
- Show day of year in display


### Julian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/julian-quick-dates/id1084251583)

This app provides a quick and efficient way to view and convert between 11 different types of dates, including standard Julian dates, Mars Sol dates, and Unix time. It features a calendar for easy navigation and allows copying dates to the clipboard. The current date can be displayed on the app icon and Apple Watch complications.

**Highlights:** 11 date type conversions, Calendar view, Copy to clipboard, App icon badge display, Apple Watch complications

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Short Cup | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tall Cup | $1.99 | one-time |
| Grande Cup | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for work/professional use
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for daily tasks
- 👍 Convenient complication on Apple Watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Complication issues on Apple Watch (not updating, getting stuck)
- 🐛 Date discrepancies between app and complication
- 🐛 App not functioning properly after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Complication not updating correctly on Apple Watch
- Date displayed incorrectly, one day behind
- App not functioning properly after updates

**Requested features**

- Display current date along with Julian date
- Add countdown/days remaining functionality
- Display week number
- Show Julian date on app icon


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zulu Time free?

Zulu Time costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Julian free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Zulu Time or Julian?

Zulu Time is rated higher. Zulu Time averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Julian averages 4.8 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do Zulu Time or Julian have ads?

Neither Zulu Time nor Julian shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zulu Time or Julian?

Zulu Time ships an update every 3 months, and Julian every 2 months. Most recently, Zulu Time was updated on November 6, 2026 and Julian on November 6, 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.*