Comparison

Backlog by Time Engine vs Unheld

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Backlog by Time Engine

Features
Read full description

Backlog is a time based todo list, add an backlog, add items and subitems to it, associate it with a time amount representing a how much it will take to be done with it. Backlog adds all your items time and show how much workload you have. Simply check and uncheck items, move them to prioritize them or delete them.

About

Unheld

Features
Read full description

Unheld is a quiet space for focus. Most focus apps make you watch the clock. Unheld does the opposite. Start a session, put your phone down, and focus without thinking about time. There are no ticking countdowns, no pressure, and no productivity scores. Time is held quietly in the background so you can stay present with your work. Unheld is designed for people who want calm focus instead of urgency β€” students, creatives, professionals, and anyone who finds traditional timers stressful. Features β€’ One-tap focus sessions β€’ No countdown by default β€’ Gentle end reminders (optional) β€’ Session history for reflection, not tracking β€’ Apple Watch support β€’ Local-only storage β€” your data stays on your device Premium (One-time purchase) Unlock session history, weekly summaries, and optional tags with a single purchase. No subscriptions. Designed for calm Unheld is not a Pomodoro timer and not a productivity system. It’s a quiet container for focus β€” so you can stop thinking about time and simply work.

Screenshots

Backlog by Time Engine4 screens
Unheld4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backlog by Time Engine at none against Unheld's 1. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Unheld sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Backlog by Time Engine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Backlog by Time Engine versus Unheld: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBacklog by Time EngineUnheld
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch β€” better
Requires iOS16.4 β€” better16.6
Further details β€” not scored
Size3 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer100-8 StudioGuo Yu

In-app purchases

None

Backlog by Time Engine

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Unheld

One-time1
  • Unheld Premium$5.99

Questions

Is Backlog by Time Engine free?
Backlog by Time Engine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Unheld free?
Unheld is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Backlog by Time Engine or Unheld have ads?
Neither Backlog by Time Engine nor Unheld shows ads.

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