# Calendar Planner CircleTime vs Bento

The clearest difference is rating: Calendar Planner CircleTime at 4.6 against Bento's 4.1. Bento's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calendar Planner CircleTime sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Bento sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Calendar Planner CircleTime holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 339 and 338 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 55% and 54% positive.

Calendar Planner CircleTime ships an update fortnightly, Bento weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calendar Planner CircleTime | Bento |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (339 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calendar-planner-circletime/id535887902/reviews)** | [4.1 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bento-the-do-less-timer/id1595945715/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **339** | 338 |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 53.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 114 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Galilea, d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/408186182) | [Keep Productive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1595945717) |

## What reviewers say

### Calendar Planner CircleTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calendar-planner-circletime/id535887902)

This app reimagines your schedule as a flowing circle, syncing with natural rhythms like sunrise, sunset, and moon phases. It offers a clear, clutter-free visual representation of your day, integrating with your activity data for a holistic view of time and movement.

**Highlights:** Circular daily timeline visualization, Syncs with sun, moon, and weather, Integrates Apple Activity Rings, ADHD-friendly visual clarity, Customizable routines and reminders, Widgets and Apple Watch support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Half-Yearly Premium | $20.00 | per 6 months |
| Yearly Premium Family | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Family | $119.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative visual design
- 🎨 Beautifully designed
- ✨ Unique concept
- 🔄 Good syncing capabilities
- 👍 Intuitive for some users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Steep learning curve
- 😵 Confusing to use
- 🤷 Not intuitive
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 App locks up

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional syncing delays
- Padlock screen locks app
- No 'cancel' button on lock screen
- Force-quit required to escape lock
- Color dots not working

**Requested features**

- Add widgets
- Add tasks to calendar
- More alarms
- Widgets for Home Screen
- Moon phase widget


### Bento

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bento-the-do-less-timer/id1595945715)

This app offers a calm focus timer designed to enhance productivity for work and study. It utilizes Japanese-inspired themes and a distraction-free interface to help users achieve deep work states, manage tasks, and improve focus patterns with insightful analytics.

**Highlights:** Aesthetic Japanese focus scenes, Task limitation for reduced overload, Deep focus mode to block distractions, Customizable daily routines, Focus score and analytics, Focus booster for momentum

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bento Premium - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Bento Premium - Annually | $9.99 | per year |
| Bento Premium - Quarterly | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Bento Premium - Semiannual | $19.99 | per 6 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps focus on important tasks
- 🎨 Beautiful and calming design
- 🕰️ Useful Pomodoro-style timer
- 📚 Bento methodology is insightful
- 👍 Simple and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes and crashes frequently
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 💰 Paid app now requires subscription
- 🔇 Limited music/sound options
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Titles randomly deleted
- Timer stops working unexpectedly
- Switching themes doesn't work
- Accessibility issues

**Requested features**

- Add more music/sound options
- Implement a widget for quick access
- Allow customization of Bento templates
- Sync tasks across devices
- Add an Apple Watch app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calendar Planner CircleTime free?

Calendar Planner CircleTime is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bento free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Calendar Planner CircleTime or Bento?

Calendar Planner CircleTime is rated higher. Calendar Planner CircleTime averages 4.6 out of 5 from 339 ratings, while Bento averages 4.1 from 338 ratings.

### Do Calendar Planner CircleTime or Bento have ads?

Neither Calendar Planner CircleTime nor Bento shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calendar Planner CircleTime or Bento?

Calendar Planner CircleTime ships an update fortnightly, and Bento weekly. Most recently, Calendar Planner CircleTime was updated on October 23, 2026 and Bento on October 25, 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.*