Comparison

SIMTA vs Sway

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

Head to head
About

SIMTA

This app visually represents time passing by filling your screen with color that drains away. It's designed for at-a-glance understanding, allowing you to gauge remaining time without reading numbers. Unlock additional colors and features with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Visual time representation
  • At-a-glance time tracking
  • Customizable colors (Pro)
  • App distraction locking (Pro)
  • Lock screen and Dynamic Island integration
  • Screen awake functionality
  • Reliable countdowns
Features
Read full description

SIMTA is a timer you read at a glance. Set a time and the whole screen fills with color. As the seconds run out the color drains away, so you can tell how much is left from across the room without reading a number. SIMPLE BY DESIGN • Spin the dial, press start. That is the whole setup. • No accounts and no subscriptions. • Red and Teal are free. SIMTA Pro adds thirteen more colors, and My Colors lets you pick any color yourself. SIMTA PRO — ONE PURCHASE, NOT A SUBSCRIPTION • Thirteen more colors, plus My Colors for picking your own, with the home screen icon to match. • Lock the apps that distract you while a timer runs. • Every time you have run, kept in Recent. • No ads. MADE TO BE GLANCED AT • Horizon Lock keeps the color level with the room as you tip the phone or prop it in a stand. • The controls fade away once the timer is running, so nothing sits on top of the color. • Hide the digits entirely if you only want the color. • Keep the screen awake while a timer runs. • The countdown carries on to the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, with pause, resume and stop right there. RELIABLE • The countdown stays accurate after you switch apps or lock the phone. • A running timer survives the app being closed. • The alarm is audible even with the silent switch on. Good for cooking, focus sprints, workouts, study blocks, and anything where you would rather feel time pass than watch a number. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Sway

Manage your digital habits by setting daily limits on addictive apps. Earn points for extra time or wait for midnight resets. This app prioritizes your privacy by keeping all data on your device.

Highlights
  • Set daily app limits
  • Midnight resets
  • Earn extra time with Sway Points
  • Impulse-proof deactivation
  • Private and safe data handling
  • Utilizes Apple's Screen Time API
Read full description

Turn infinitely indulgent feeds into a guilt-free allowance. Set a budget for your brainrot with daily limits on your most addictive apps. Midnight resets: Hit your limit? It resets at midnight Add extra time: Everyone needs an extra 5 minutes sometimes. Redeem Sway Points to keep scrolling. Impulse-proof: Want to end a limit? Deactivation takes 24 hours to prevent impulsive limit-breaking. Private & Safe: Sway uses Apple’s Screen Time API to monitor and block apps once their limits are reached. Your personal app usage data never leaves your device.

Screenshots

SIMTA4 screens
Sway4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sway at none against SIMTA's 2. Sway also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). SIMTA's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SIMTA sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Sway asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for SIMTA against 5.0 for Sway. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SIMTA ships an update every 3 days, Sway daily. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SIMTA versus Sway: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSIMTASway
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysDaily — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB42 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperOurBeomManifest Global, Inc.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

SIMTA

One-time2
  • SIMTA PRO for 1 Week$0.99
  • SIMTA Pro$4.99
None

Sway

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SIMTA free?
SIMTA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sway free?
Sway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SIMTA or Sway?
SIMTA and Sway are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do SIMTA or Sway have ads?
SIMTA shows ads; Sway does not.
Which is updated more often, SIMTA or Sway?
SIMTA ships an update every 3 days, and Sway daily. Most recently, SIMTA was updated on November 4, 2026 and Sway on November 9, 2026.

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