Comparison

Ripples vs Trace

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

Head to head
About

Ripples

This app helps you build and maintain new habits and achieve your goals. It offers a visual calendar grid to track your progress, detailed metrics, and the ability to log specific amounts for each action. You can also add notes, use Siri shortcuts, and view your progress with widgets.

Highlights
  • Visual calendar grid progress tracking
  • Vital metrics and analytics
  • Track specific amounts and custom units
  • Notes and journal entries
  • Siri shortcuts and automation
  • Interactive widgets
Features
Read full description

Build habits with a visual tracker that makes daily progress easy to see—and easier to continue. Ripples turns every check-in into a clear, color-coded picture of your routines, goals, and consistency. SEE THE PATTERN Use flexible calendar grids to spot streaks, gaps, and trends at a glance. Organize habits into dashboards and create a view that fits your routine. TRACK MORE THAN CHECKMARKS Record simple check-ins or quantities such as pages, minutes, water, distance, money, and custom units. Add a note to any entry and review your history in the Journal. STAY CONSISTENT WITH LESS FRICTION Set multiple reminders, check in from interactive widgets, and build Shortcuts or Siri automations for the routines you repeat every day. UNDERSTAND YOUR PROGRESS See current and best streaks, consistency metrics, totals, averages, and daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly charts. Compare years to understand what changed and where you are improving. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your habits and goals remain visible only to you and sync through end-to-end encrypted iCloud. Start with one habit. Watch the pattern grow. Privacy Policy: https://www.ripples.day/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Trace

Read full description

Run your day, or it runs you. Trace is a focus timer and time tracker built to turn deep work into a daily habit. Start a session, do the work, and Trace quietly records exactly where your time goes — then turns it into streaks, insights, and momentum you can feel. Most timers forget about you the moment you leave the app. Trace doesn't. Every session is computed from real timestamps, so your time stays accurate even if you lock your phone, take a call, or close the app for hours. WHY TRACE • A timer that survives real life — backgrounding, lock screen, calls, and app kills won't lose a second. • Tap to pause, start, and stop. Every completed session is saved, no matter how short. • Build your ideal day — set up morning, afternoon, evening, and night activities so your schedule reflects how you actually work. • Track anything — Study, Work, Workout, Read, Deep Work, and your own custom session types. • Daily to-dos and goals that keep you moving toward what matters. STAY CONSISTENT • Streaks that reward showing up day after day. • A daily summary that shows what you got done. • Clear insights and charts — see where your time goes, compare days, and spot your trends. GO DEEPER • Immersive focus sounds — coffee shop, library, piano, and more — to pull you into deep work and keep you there. • Screen Time blocking to lock out distracting apps while you focus. • Live Activity on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island so your session is always one glance away. • Apple Watch and Mac apps so you can start and track focus wherever you are. • Themes, accents, and glow styles to make Trace yours. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your data lives on your device. No account required to start. Stop guessing where your time went. Start tracing it. — Trace Pro unlocks deeper insights, unlimited session types and tasks, full customization, and immersive focus sounds. Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period; manage or cancel anytime in your App Store settings. Privacy Policy: https://patient-mouse-b9ce.reodan9.workers.dev/privacy Terms of Use: https://patient-mouse-b9ce.reodan9.workers.dev/terms

Screenshots

Ripples4 screens
Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

Ripples and Trace are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Ripples sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Trace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Ripples versus Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRipplesTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (238 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews92.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings238 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMykola HarmashReodan Kanesh Nathan

Bugs and requests

Ripples

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Notifications not working reliably
  • UI bugs causing app to become unusable
  • Restore purchases not functioning
  • Pro features not unlocking after purchase
  • Lifetime purchase redemption not working

Requested features

12 requests
  • Check-in reminders/notifications
  • Apple Watch app and complications
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • Weekly and monthly habit tracking
  • Filtering by categories or tags
Show 7 more
  • Smaller board sizes for better screen visibility
  • Easier bulk check-in for past dates
  • Notes field for individual check-ins
  • Habit reordering functionality
  • Compact main menu view
  • Track amounts with custom units (e.g., pages read)
  • Square widgets

Trace

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Ripples

Subscriptions2
  • Plus Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Plus Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time3
  • Powerpack$9.99
  • Powerpack Family$17.99
  • Ripples Plus Lifetime$24.99
3 purchases

Trace

Subscriptions2
  • Trace Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Trace Pro Annual$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Trace Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Ripples free?
Ripples is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Trace free?
Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ripples or Trace have ads?
Neither Ripples nor Trace shows ads.

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