Off. vs elsehear
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Off.
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Track the time you consciously turn off your phone and free yourself from the Skinner box of the smartphone. As you accumulate more time, you'll release metaphorical birds from their cages.
elsehear
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Listen to real places around the world, live. Browse places around the world and tune into their live soundscapes. Discover the coordinates and stories behind the sounds you hear. Tap "Take me somewhere" and let Elsehear choose your next destination. Save your favorite places and return to them whenever you like. Favorites sync across your iPhones when you sign in with the same Apple account. See your current place and playback status on the Lock Screen with Live Activities. Browse places and control playback on your paired iPhone with the Apple Watch companion. Available in English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, and German. Elsehear is an art project for sharing the sounds of the world. With thanks to Locus Sonus and the contributors who keep these open microphones listening. Sign in with Apple and an internet connection are required. Audio comes from live sources, so sounds and stream availability vary. Be here, hear elsewhere.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: elsehear at every 3 days against Off.'s every 3 weeks. Off.'s advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Off. ships an update every 3 weeks, elsehear every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Off. | elsehear |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ben Bela Hautmann | dohyun ahn |
In-app purchases
Off.
No in-app purchases
elsehear
No in-app purchases
