# XScreenSaver vs Heada

The clearest difference is update cadence: Heada at every 9 days against XScreenSaver's every 6 months. On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, Heada every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XScreenSaver | Heada |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **109** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 37 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jamie Zawinski](https://appshunter.io/developer/368900426) | [Dominik Hauser](https://appshunter.io/developer/325836858) |

## 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


### Heada

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heada/id1561451976)

Find the direction and distance to any address. Share this information instantly with your iMessage contacts. Navigate with ease and keep friends updated on your location.

**Highlights:** Direction to address, Distance to address, Share via iMessage, Location sharing, Intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XScreenSaver free?

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

### Is Heada free?

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

### Do XScreenSaver or Heada have ads?

Neither XScreenSaver nor Heada shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XScreenSaver or Heada?

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, and Heada every 9 days. Most recently, XScreenSaver was updated on November 6, 2026 and Heada on November 3, 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.*