Comparison

Maelstrom vs NextStep

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — 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

NextStep

Features
Read full description

One step on screen and your finish-by time right beside it. NextStep turns getting ready, heading out or winding down into a short run of steps that you follow on iPhone or Apple Watch. Every step counts down its own estimate. When the countdown hits zero, nothing jumps ahead: the step waits for you to tap Done. PLAN THE ROUTINE • Up to 30 steps per routine, each with a time estimate, a short note and an optional flag • Give the routine a finish-by time and keep an eye on the estimated finish while you go • Begin from a starter such as Leave for work, Evening reset or Start a focus block, or write your own • Break a task into steps: NextStep suggests steps and times from its own templates for common tasks and, on iPhones with Apple Intelligence, from the on-device model for the rest. You check every step before it is added • Reorder, duplicate or archive routines • Recurring reminders nudge you at the time you pick; a reminder never starts a routine by itself FOLLOW ALONG, STEP BY STEP • Done, Skip, Pause, Add 1 minute and End are always your call • Running behind? Adjust plan lists the optional steps still ahead and the minutes each one would save. Skip a few, or move the finish time for this run only • Pausing or adding a minute leaves your deadline where you set it, so you see straight away what it does to the plan APPLE WATCH, WIDGETS AND LOCK SCREEN • The Apple Watch app runs saved routines by itself, even with iPhone out of reach, and the two catch up when they reconnect • An optional Live Activity follows routines started on iPhone, with a Done button for the current step • The Home Screen widget shows the current step with a Done button, or your next routine • A Start routine control in Control Center or on the Action button opens your next routine, ready for you to confirm • Watch complications show your current progress at a glance ESTIMATES THAT LEARN YOUR PACE • History lists the routines you completed or ended • After enough real runs, NextStep proposes new step times based on your own pace, and you choose which ones to keep WITHOUT PRO • Two saved routines, run as often as you like • Routine editing, reminders, widgets, the Live Activity, the Start routine control, the last seven days of history, estimate suggestions and file export and import • Three tries of Break a task into steps • Watch complications, if you used NextStep before version 1.1 • A 45-second demo run that stays out of your history NEXTSTEP PRO • No two-routine limit • Full history plus planned-versus-actual time comparisons • Extra ready-made programs, such as Ready to go and A calmer evening, each one open to preview before you buy • Break a task into steps as often as you like • Watch complications, when NextStep was first installed at version 1.1 or later • If Pro ends, every routine you made stays available to view, edit and run • A paywall never interrupts a routine in progress KEPT ON YOUR DEVICES There is no NextStep account, no advertising and no outside AI service; Apple Intelligence suggestions are made on the iPhone itself. Routines and history stay on the devices that run them, and you can export a file whenever you want a copy. PAYING FOR PRO Pro is sold three ways: a monthly subscription, an annual subscription, or a lifetime unlock bought once. Before you confirm, the purchase sheet lists what Pro costs in your region and how often it bills, and payment comes from your Apple Account. A subscription carries on into each new period by itself. To stop that, turn off auto-renewal at least a day before the current period ends, since the coming period is billed in the final 24 hours. Manage or cancel from Settings, then your name, then Subscriptions. A lifetime unlock does not end a subscription you already pay for; cancel that separately. Privacy: https://mubaraklabs.com/privacy/nextstep/ Terms: https://mubaraklabs.com/terms/nextstep/ License: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Maelstrom3 screens
NextStep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Maelstrom at none against NextStep's 3. Maelstrom also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). NextStep's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months). On price, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NextStep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Maelstrom asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Maelstrom ships an update every 8 months, NextStep every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
Maelstrom versus NextStep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaelstromNextStep
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRichard HelmMubarak Almahmeed

In-app purchases

None

Maelstrom

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

NextStep

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Pro Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Maelstrom free?
Maelstrom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NextStep free?
NextStep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Maelstrom or NextStep have ads?
Neither Maelstrom nor NextStep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Maelstrom or NextStep?
Maelstrom ships an update every 8 months, and NextStep every 3 weeks. Most recently, Maelstrom was updated on October 27, 2026 and NextStep on October 29, 2026.

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