# XScreenSaver vs subflow

The clearest difference is rating: XScreenSaver at 4.9 against subflow's 4.3. XScreenSaver also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 67%) and ratings volume (104 vs 17). subflow's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 6 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

XScreenSaver holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XScreenSaver has 104 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of XScreenSaver's written reviews are positive against 67% of subflow's.

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, subflow every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on August 19, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XScreenSaver | subflow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593/reviews)** | [4.3 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subflow/id1570176211/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **104** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **92.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jamie Zawinski](https://appshunter.io/developer/368900426) | [Ello Skelling Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1569508906) |

## 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


### subflow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subflow/id1570176211)

Create dynamic music visualizations for any setting. Control modes, speed, and beat patterns with intuitive screen gestures. Advanced users can leverage UDP and OS2L for complex control with DJ software.

**Highlights:** Gesture-based control for modes, speed, and beats, Beat pattern customization, UDP command sequencing, OS2L integration with DJ software, Color customization via long press

**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 subflow free?

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

### Which has better reviews, XScreenSaver or subflow?

XScreenSaver is rated higher. XScreenSaver averages 4.9 out of 5 from 104 ratings, while subflow averages 4.3 from 17 ratings.

### Do XScreenSaver or subflow have ads?

Neither XScreenSaver nor subflow shows ads.

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

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, and subflow every 6 days. Most recently, XScreenSaver was updated on August 19, 2026 and subflow on September 9, 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.*