# XScreenSaver vs Spooky the Ghost

The clearest difference is price: XScreenSaver at Free against Spooky the Ghost's $0.99. XScreenSaver also leads on update cadence (every 6 months vs every 40 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

XScreenSaver is free to download; Spooky the Ghost costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, Spooky the Ghost every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XScreenSaver | Spooky the Ghost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **109** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 40 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 37 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jamie Zawinski](https://appshunter.io/developer/368900426) | [JS Digital Productions, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1012108950) |

## What reviewers say

### XScreenSaver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593)

Explore a vast collection of historic and educational graphics demos originally designed for Linux and Unix systems. This application allows you to interact with hundreds of these visual demonstrations, ported from the classic screen saver collection.

**Highlights:** Historic graphics demos, Educational visual content, Interactive demo playback, Large collection of visuals, Cross-platform heritage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ No ads or data collection
- 🎨 Extensive variety of screensavers
- 📱 Works seamlessly across multiple platforms (iOS, Mac, iPad)
- 🆓 Completely free application
- 🕰️ Nostalgic and retro aesthetic appeal

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes with certain screensavers
- 🎯 Difficult to tap small exit button on larger devices
- 🔋 High battery consumption on some devices
- ⚠️ Photo library screensaver crashes on iOS 13
- 🎪 Limited practical use on iOS devices

**Reported bugs**

- Photo library screensaver crashes on iOS 13
- GLText reveals password when system info is selected
- Framebuffer loading failures requiring app restart
- Crashes on certain devices or configurations
- Difficult UI for exiting screensavers on larger phones

**Requested features**

- Favorites or bookmarking system to save preferred screensavers
- Hide or exclude unwanted screensavers from rotation
- Ability to select specific channels in XAnalogTV screensaver
- Widget support for iOS standby mode
- Prevent auto-lock feature to keep screen on


### Spooky the Ghost

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spooky-the-ghost/id1471356285)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XScreenSaver free?

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

### Is Spooky the Ghost free?

Spooky the Ghost costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do XScreenSaver or Spooky the Ghost have ads?

Neither XScreenSaver nor Spooky the Ghost shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XScreenSaver or Spooky the Ghost?

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, and Spooky the Ghost every 40 months. Most recently, XScreenSaver was updated on October 24, 2026 and Spooky the Ghost on October 25, 2026.

---

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