# Open App vs Live Shortcut

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Open App at none against Live Shortcut's 2. Open App also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Live Shortcut's advantage is review sentiment (70% vs 60%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Live Shortcut sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per year. Open App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Open App ships an update every 2 weeks, Live Shortcut every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Open App | Live Shortcut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-app-app-launcher/id6443994881/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12** | — |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 36 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sunghee Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477689060) | [Andrew Fang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1037394382) |

## What reviewers say

### Open App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-app-app-launcher/id6443994881)

Access your most used applications directly from your device's lock screen. This tool offers a convenient way to launch over 200 apps with a single tap, eliminating the need to unlock your device for quick access.

**Highlights:** Quick app access from lock screen, Supports over 200 applications, Simple one-tap icon launch, No URL schemes required, Request new app additions

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Live Shortcut

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/live-shortcut/id6476543630)

Easily integrate your existing automations with Live Activities. Display reminders and important information on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island to ensure you never miss a thing.

**Highlights:** Integrate automations with Live Activities, Display reminders on Lock Screen, Utilize Dynamic Island for notifications, Easy setup for existing shortcuts, Customizable display options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Yearly) | $0.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Open App free?

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

### Is Live Shortcut free?

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

### Do Open App or Live Shortcut have ads?

Both Open App and Live Shortcut show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Open App or Live Shortcut?

Open App ships an update every 2 weeks, and Live Shortcut every 2 months. Most recently, Open App was updated on November 3, 2026 and Live Shortcut on November 4, 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.*