# TalkingAlarm vs MakeCalc

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MakeCalc at none against TalkingAlarm's 3. MakeCalc also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TalkingAlarm sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. MakeCalc asks for nothing beyond the download.

TalkingAlarm ships an update every 5 weeks, MakeCalc every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TalkingAlarm | MakeCalc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talkingalarm-alarm-clock/id431500634/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fortuisoft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/321923514) | [29Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1817021563) |

## What reviewers say

### TalkingAlarm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talkingalarm-alarm-clock/id431500634)

This app offers a smart alarm experience, playing sleep sounds at night and waking you with a voice that announces the time, weather, and calendar events. It features customizable wake-up options, including gentle light fades and trivia questions, along with a large, dimmable clock display.

**Highlights:** Voice announcements (time, weather, calendar), Sleep sounds and music playback, Gentle wake-up with light fade-in, Full-screen dimmable clock, Home app integration, Interactive snooze with reminders

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad Free 1 year | $1.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Forever | $2.99 | one-time |
| Ad Free Forever | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Customizable alarm settings
- 🚀 Reliable and consistent performance
- 💡 Unique talking alarm feature
- 👍 Helpful morning announcements (time, weather, appointments)
- 👍 Soothing nightlight mode

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with alarm not going off
- 🔋 Requires phone to be unlocked and app open for full functionality
- 🔋 Potential for phone overheating
- 👎 Limited language support

**Reported bugs**

- Alarm not triggering when phone is locked
- Recorded messages not saving properly
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape mode

**Requested features**

- Ability to use Spotify or other music services for alarm
- Option to have alarm play through external speakers
- Periodic time announcements while phone is locked
- More language options for voice and text


### MakeCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/makecalc/id6749636475)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TalkingAlarm free?

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

### Is MakeCalc free?

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

### Do TalkingAlarm or MakeCalc have ads?

TalkingAlarm shows ads; MakeCalc does not.

### Which is updated more often, TalkingAlarm or MakeCalc?

TalkingAlarm ships an update every 5 weeks, and MakeCalc every 2 weeks. Most recently, TalkingAlarm was updated on October 29, 2026 and MakeCalc on October 22, 2026.

---

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