# Essential Launcher vs ClipIt

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ClipIt at none against Essential Launcher's 6. ClipIt also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Essential Launcher's advantage is ratings volume (36 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Essential Launcher sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ClipIt asks for nothing beyond the download.

ClipIt holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essential Launcher has 36 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Essential Launcher ships an update every 11 days, ClipIt every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential Launcher | ClipIt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-launcher/id6590616999/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clipit-app/id6740757080/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **36** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 88.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 41 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Patrik Racskai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1728193737) | [少华 豆](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670519957) |

## What reviewers say

### Essential Launcher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-launcher/id6590616999)

This app offers a minimalist home screen experience designed to reduce distractions and limit screen time. Customize your interface with only essential applications to promote focus and productivity.

**Highlights:** Minimalist home screen, Reduce distractions, Limit screen time, Customize essential apps, Clean, intuitive interface, Dark and light modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Discounted | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual Discounted | $3.99 | per year |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual | $12.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Free | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime | $5.99 | one-time |


### ClipIt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clipit-app/id6740757080)

This app helps you learn new English words encountered during reading. It automatically captures words from your clipboard, provides comprehensive definitions with AI explanations, and uses smart review methods to improve memorization.

**Highlights:** AI-powered word definitions, Automatic clipboard word capture, Comprehensive word analysis (pronunciation, phonetics, examples), Smart review system based on forgetting curve, Seamless reading-to-learning workflow, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential Launcher free?

Essential Launcher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ClipIt free?

ClipIt is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Essential Launcher or ClipIt?

ClipIt is rated higher. Essential Launcher averages 4.6 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while ClipIt averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Essential Launcher or ClipIt have ads?

Neither Essential Launcher nor ClipIt shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essential Launcher or ClipIt?

Essential Launcher ships an update every 11 days, and ClipIt every 5 days. Most recently, Essential Launcher was updated on October 23, 2026 and ClipIt on October 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*