# XScreenSaver vs Ballune

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ballune at monthly against XScreenSaver's every 6 months. XScreenSaver's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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, Ballune monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XScreenSaver | Ballune |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (106 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **106** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 37 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Jamie Zawinski](https://appshunter.io/developer/368900426) | [SJW Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1595630095) |

## 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


### Ballune

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ballune/id6761668069)

**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 Ballune free?

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

### Do XScreenSaver or Ballune have ads?

Neither XScreenSaver nor Ballune shows ads.

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

XScreenSaver ships an update every 6 months, and Ballune monthly. Most recently, XScreenSaver was updated on October 17, 2026 and Ballune on October 14, 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.*