# Paycheck Lite vs Phoenix Time & Expense

The clearest difference is rating: Phoenix Time & Expense at 3.8 against Paycheck Lite's 2.5. Phoenix Time & Expense also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months). Paycheck Lite's advantage is review sentiment (18% vs 0%) and ratings volume (162 vs 15). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Phoenix Time & Expense holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paycheck Lite has 162 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of Paycheck Lite's written reviews are positive against 0% of Phoenix Time & Expense's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Paycheck Lite ships an update every 8 months, Phoenix Time & Expense every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paycheck Lite | Phoenix Time & Expense |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paycheck-lite-mobile-payroll/id434363501/reviews) | **[3.8 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-time-and-expense/id1128058920/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **162** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **18.1% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Payrollguru, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/430022681) | [Phoenix Technology Systems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1128058919) |

## What reviewers say

### Paycheck Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paycheck-lite-mobile-payroll/id434363501)

Easily calculate your net paycheck from gross pay or hourly wages, including overtime. This app estimates federal and state payroll taxes, deductions, and take-home pay. It's useful for budgeting, comparing pay across different states, and emailing pay details.

**Highlights:** Gross pay to net pay calculation, Hourly wage calculation with overtime, Federal and state tax estimation, Deduction allowances consideration, Compare net pay across states, Email pay details

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate paycheck estimates
- 👍 Timely tax updates
- 👍 Great customer support
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for planning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 App freezes often
- 🐛 Ads are intrusive
- 🐛 Ads prevent usage
- 🐛 Not compatible with iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Connection error
- New York state tax not deducted (shows zero)
- App does not work with iOS 15
- Paid upgrade does not work
- Calculate button won't open/freezes

**Requested features**

- Update app for iOS 14/15/16
- Add custom deductions
- Optimize for iPad
- Fix state tax deduction issues
- Improve ad experience (less intrusive, fix closing)


### Phoenix Time & Expense

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-time-and-expense/id1128058920)

Streamline your business's time and expense tracking with an automated solution. Designed for enterprises with complex needs, this app enhances operational efficiency.

**Highlights:** Automated time collection, Expense tracking, Enterprise-focused, Increased business efficiency, Complex time requirement support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paycheck Lite free?

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

### Is Phoenix Time & Expense free?

Phoenix Time & Expense is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Paycheck Lite or Phoenix Time & Expense?

Phoenix Time & Expense is rated higher. Paycheck Lite averages 2.5 out of 5 from 162 ratings, while Phoenix Time & Expense averages 3.8 from 15 ratings.

### Do Paycheck Lite or Phoenix Time & Expense have ads?

Paycheck Lite shows ads; Phoenix Time & Expense does not.

### Which is updated more often, Paycheck Lite or Phoenix Time & Expense?

Paycheck Lite ships an update every 8 months, and Phoenix Time & Expense every 3 weeks. Most recently, Paycheck Lite was updated on October 30, 2026 and Phoenix Time & Expense on October 20, 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.*