# TopWatch vs Paint Codex

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Paint Codex at 100% against TopWatch's 18%. Paint Codex also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3). TopWatch's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 8) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TopWatch sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Paint Codex sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Paint Codex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TopWatch has 2.9K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of TopWatch's written reviews are positive against 100% of Paint Codex's.

TopWatch ships an update every 9 days, Paint Codex fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TopWatch | Paint Codex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topwatch-watch-faces-gallery/id6467186378/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-codex/id6752630177/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 18.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 244 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [海口汇流网络科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560784635) | [Mitch Zavala](https://appshunter.io/developer/1840294021) |

## What reviewers say

### TopWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topwatch-watch-faces-gallery/id6467186378)

Personalize your Apple Watch with a vast gallery of unique watch faces, including designer collaborations and health data displays. Create your own custom designs with an intuitive DIY tool and share them with others.

**Highlights:** Extensive watch face gallery, Designer collaborations, Health and sports data display, DIY watch face creator, One-tap apply, Low power optimization, Regular updates

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Family Monthly VIP | $1.99 | per month |
| Weekly VIP | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly VIP | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly VIP | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Family Monthly VIP | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly VIP | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly VIP | $9.99 | per month |
| Family Annual VIP | $9.99 | per year |
| Monthly VIP | $12.99 | per month |
| Annual VIP | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual VIP | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual VIP | $19.99 | per year |
| Purchase a watch face | $0.99 | one-time |
| Purchase a watch face | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime VIP | $12.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime VIP | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💜 Cute options
- 🥰 Something for everyone

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Screen doesn't stay on long
- 🔓 App must be open to see face
- 💰 Faces locked behind paywall
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 🤔 Misleading advertising

**Reported bugs**

- Won't install on watch
- Sync issues with watch
- Inaccurate step tracking

**Requested features**

- Make DIY faces into videos
- Allow faces to stay without app open


### Paint Codex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-codex/id6752630177)

This app helps miniature and model painters document their creative process. Organize projects, record every step with custom phases, and build a personal gallery of your work. Export your progress to share with clients or the community.

**Highlights:** Create custom paint doctrines, Record painting steps and phases, Capture progress via camera/gallery, Export projects as .paintcodex files, Offline-first design for privacy, Personal gallery for completed work

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Paint Codex Premium (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Paint Codex Premium (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TopWatch free?

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

### Is Paint Codex free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TopWatch or Paint Codex?

Paint Codex is rated higher. TopWatch averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Paint Codex averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do TopWatch or Paint Codex have ads?

Neither TopWatch nor Paint Codex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TopWatch or Paint Codex?

TopWatch ships an update every 9 days, and Paint Codex fortnightly. Most recently, TopWatch was updated on October 27, 2026 and Paint Codex on October 24, 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.*