# Widgets for Dynamic Island vs Shelf

The clearest difference is ads: Shelf at none against Widgets for Dynamic Island's shown. Shelf also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Widgets for Dynamic Island sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Shelf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Widgets for Dynamic Island against 4.5 for Shelf. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 290 and 280 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Widgets for Dynamic Island's written reviews are positive against 58% of Shelf's.

Widgets for Dynamic Island ships an update every 4 weeks, Shelf every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Widgets for Dynamic Island | Shelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (290 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widgets-for-dynamic-island/id6443593416/reviews) | **[4.5 (280 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelf-create-live-activities/id6443596253/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **290** | 280 |
| Positive reviews | 53.8% of reviews | **57.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 101 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INNOVATIVE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1331216448) | [Michael Tigas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1364337001) |

## What reviewers say

### Widgets for Dynamic Island

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widgets-for-dynamic-island/id6443593416)

Create custom Live Activities for your lock screen and Dynamic Island. Display glanceable information with customizable styles and themes, including health data, device status, and weather. Some features require a Pro subscription.

**Highlights:** Custom Live Activity creation, Lock screen and Dynamic Island display, Customizable styles and themes, HealthKit integration for health data, Picture in Picture support, Variety of module options (Health, Device, Weather)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ActivityBuilder Pro Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| ActivityBuilder Pro Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| ActivityBuilder Pro Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| ActivityBuilder Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| ActivityBuilder Pro Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| ActivityBuilder Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| ActivityBuilder Pro - Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient live activities
- 🚀 Responsive app
- 💡 Customization features
- 🔥 Dynamic island integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Limited free features
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🤔 Confusing UI/UX

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues after app updates
- Weather widget not refreshing automatically
- Inconsistent performance on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add more free widgets
- Improve weather widget functionality
- Allow customization of text/icons in dynamic island
- Implement a trial period or one-time purchase option


### Shelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelf-create-live-activities/id6443596253)

Pin photos, text, or app shortcuts to your iPhone's Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Customize the appearance with themes, colors, and fonts. Access content with a tap or use Siri and App Shortcuts for automatic launching.

**Highlights:** Pin photos, text, and app shortcuts, Dynamic Island and Home Screen support, Customizable themes, colors, and fonts, Always-on display integration, App Shortcuts and Siri integration, Quick access with a tap

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shelf Pro - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Shelf Pro - Yearly | $12.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Widgets for Dynamic Island free?

Widgets for Dynamic Island is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Widgets for Dynamic Island or Shelf?

Shelf is rated higher. Widgets for Dynamic Island averages 4.4 out of 5 from 290 ratings, while Shelf averages 4.5 from 280 ratings.

### Do Widgets for Dynamic Island or Shelf have ads?

Widgets for Dynamic Island shows ads; Shelf does not.

### Which is updated more often, Widgets for Dynamic Island or Shelf?

Widgets for Dynamic Island ships an update every 4 weeks, and Shelf every 2 days. Most recently, Widgets for Dynamic Island was updated on September 21, 2026 and Shelf on September 22, 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.*