Minimal vs AppList.
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Minimal
This app transforms your home screen into a distraction-free, text-based launcher using widgets. It helps reduce screen time by hiding distracting icons and notification badges, allowing for a more personalized and focused mobile experience.
- Text-based app launcher widgets
- Reduces screen time
- Hides distracting icons
- Customizable widget appearance
- Personalized home screen setup
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Hey there! I’m the maker of Minimal. Like many of you, I found myself constantly checking my phone, hopping from one app to another, and losing precious hours. That's why I created Minimal — to help us reclaim our time and focus by cutting down on digital clutter. Here’s What Minimal Can Do For You: 1. A Cleaner Home Screen Minimal uses home screen widgets to transform your home screen with a sleek, text-based app launcher — access what you need without distractions. 2. Reduce Screen Time Keep distracting icons and notification badges out of sight. This "out of sight, out of mind" strategy helps reduce unnecessary screen time. 3. Personalize Your Experience Your phone should reflect your style. Customize the look and feel of your widgets to create a setup that’s uniquely yours. Why Minimal? I built Minimal initially to help myself focus more and swipe less. It turned my phone from a distraction into a tool. Minimal has transformed my relationship with my phone, and I hope it does for you too. Unlock everything for the price of a latte. No subscriptions or hidden fees. Try it free for 7 days, no payment required if you don’t love it! About Us: ByteBrew is a one-man app studio based in NYC, building high-quality apps that deliver real value at a fair price. We’re committed to using technology to improve lives.
AppList.
Organize your favorite applications into a clean, minimalist list. This free launcher focuses on reducing distractions and visual noise, making your phone feel like a tool. It prioritizes privacy with no ads or tracking.
- Minimalist app list design
- Customizable text styling
- Reduced clutter and distractions
- Privacy-focused, no tracking
- Supports up to 65 apps
- Widgets for fullscreen list
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A free minimalist home screen with your favorite apps, beautifully listed. That's it. • Beautifully Minimal – Turn your app grid into a sleek, organized list – Clean design with customizable alignment and text styling – Designed to reduce clutter and visual noise • Mindful by Design – Focus on what matters by removing distractions – Curate your essential apps with intention – Make your phone feel like a tool, not a trap • Private and Honest – No ads – No tracking – No hidden analytics – Your data stays on your device – Open source app catalog • Additional notes - This app is completely free with optional donations to support the solo developer :-) - Two widgets combine into a fullscreen list of apps, or on iOS 27 one extra-large widget fills the screen - The app comes with the equivalent of 5 fullscreen lists (for up to 65 apps!)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: AppList. at free against Minimal's free with in-app purchases. AppList. also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (30 vs 7). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Minimal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and AppList. sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Minimal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 30 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Minimal ships an update every 2 months, AppList. every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Minimal | AppList. |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | 4.8 (30 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 30 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ByteBrew LLC | Clement Boissiere |
Customer experience
Minimal
AppList.
In-app purchases
Minimal
- Lifetime Membership$4.99
AppList.
- Small Tip$2.99
- Extra Pages$2.99
- Big Tip$9.99
Questions
Is Minimal free?
Is AppList. free?
Which has better reviews, Minimal or AppList.?
Do Minimal or AppList. have ads?
Which is updated more often, Minimal or AppList.?
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