Comparison

Maelstrom vs Calibrate

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

Head to head
About

Maelstrom

Features
Read full description

Maelstrom helps you stick to your routines and habits. Create routines by breaking them down into individual tasks with a duration. When you start a routine, the app will guide you through it one task at a time with a timer. When the time is up, it will alert you to move on to the next task to make sure you complete the routine. Additional features include: - Individual task schedules (e.g. "Journal every Sunday") - Minimum time for positive habits (e.g. "Read for at least 5 minutes") If this sounds helpful, give it a try. The app is free without subscriptions, ads or tracking. It is a personal project with no commercial intention.

About

Calibrate

Features
Read full description

Calibrate: Time Block Planner Plan your time. Track what actually happens. See the difference. Calibrate is a focused time-blocking app that helps you understand where your time really goes. Schedule your day, run your sessions, and review the gap between intention and reality. Most productivity apps help you plan. Calibrate helps you measure, reflect, and improve β€” week after week, and now across the year. Whether you’re studying, building projects, learning a language, or trying to create better daily structure, Calibrate gives you a simple system to plan your time, track what actually happens, and learn from the difference Plan with clarity Create time blocks for what matters most. Design a realistic day around your priorities β€” work, learning, focus sessions, rest. Track effortlessly Start a block, stay focused, and let Calibrate quietly log what you really do. No clutter. No noise. Just clean, intentional tracking. Reflect meaningfully See how your days and weeks actually unfold. Discover patterns. Notice drift. Reinforce what’s working. Build a lasting rhythm Calibrate isn’t about perfect days. It’s about building consistency over time β€” and shaping a routine that fits your real life. Calibrate Pro β€” go deeper with your time Upgrade to Calibrate Pro to unlock long-term history and deeper reflection tools. Explore how your time evolves across weeks and months, spot real trends, and make better long-term adjustments. Calibrate is built for people who care about how they spend their time β€” and want a simple, thoughtful way to improve it. Plan less. Understand more. Build a rhythm that lasts. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Maelstrom3 screens
Calibrate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Maelstrom at none against Calibrate's 1. Maelstrom also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Calibrate's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Calibrate sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Maelstrom asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Maelstrom ships an update every 8 months, Calibrate fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on January 18, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Maelstrom versus Calibrate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaelstromCalibrate
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsFortnightly β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better17.6
Further details β€” not scored
Size32 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRichard HelmWarren Peters

In-app purchases

None

Maelstrom

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Calibrate

One-time1
  • Calibrate Pro β€” Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Maelstrom free?
Maelstrom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Calibrate free?
Calibrate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Maelstrom or Calibrate have ads?
Neither Maelstrom nor Calibrate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Maelstrom or Calibrate?
Maelstrom ships an update every 8 months, and Calibrate fortnightly. Most recently, Maelstrom was updated on January 18, 2026 and Calibrate on September 10, 2026.

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