# Pay Timer Lite vs StartEngine

The clearest difference is rating: StartEngine at 4.8 against Pay Timer Lite's 2.4. StartEngine also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months). Pay Timer Lite's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pay Timer Lite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. StartEngine asks for nothing beyond the download.

StartEngine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StartEngine has 7K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Pay Timer Lite's written reviews are positive against 50% of StartEngine's.

Pay Timer Lite ships an update every 12 months, StartEngine weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pay Timer Lite | StartEngine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pay-timer-lite/id519094052/reviews) | **[4.8 (7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startengine-pre-ipo-investing/id1560434961/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **7K** |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 132 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Piet Jonas](https://appshunter.io/developer/288060167) | [StartEngine](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538066994) |

## What reviewers say

### Pay Timer Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pay-timer-lite/id519094052)

Track your work hours and automatically calculate your pay. The timer continues to run in the background, allowing you to close the app. Easily back up your earnings history by emailing it to yourself.

**Highlights:** Work time tracking, Automatic earnings calculation, Background timer operation, Local data history, Email backup of calculations

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pay Timer Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |


### StartEngine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startengine-pre-ipo-investing/id1560434961)

Invest in private companies and pre-IPO shares. Access deals previously exclusive to venture capitalists and institutions. Track your portfolio, connect with founders, and explore diverse startup opportunities.

**Highlights:** Invest in private companies, Trade pre-IPO shares, Equity crowdfunding, Portfolio tracking, Connect with founders, Browse startup deals

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 💡 Democratizes startup investing
- 👍 Diverse investment opportunities
- 🤑 Potential for high returns

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Funds locked away for long periods
- 🐛 App crashes and bugs
- 💰 High fees and poor returns
- 🤔 Lack of transparency and communication

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on login and startup
- Inability to access existing accounts
- Support features not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Improved app stability and performance
- Better communication and updates from companies
- Easier withdrawal and liquidity options
- More detailed financial reporting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pay Timer Lite free?

Pay Timer Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is StartEngine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pay Timer Lite or StartEngine?

StartEngine is rated higher. Pay Timer Lite averages 2.4 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while StartEngine averages 4.8 from 7K ratings.

### Do Pay Timer Lite or StartEngine have ads?

StartEngine shows ads; Pay Timer Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pay Timer Lite or StartEngine?

Pay Timer Lite ships an update every 12 months, and StartEngine weekly. Most recently, Pay Timer Lite was updated on October 9, 2026 and StartEngine on October 30, 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.*