Comparison

MENTAL STAR vs Thaw

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

Head to head
About

MENTAL STAR

Features
Read full description

MENTAL STAR may change your mind and your memory.Β  Select any title which attracts you, and the relevant words move in various patterns. When you want to switch your mindset, just watch the words go round and round.Β  Or that you like to memorize a series of words... Or even that you cannot decide what to eat... You can also create your original words set to drive in motions. Number of Japanese titles and a few Chinese titles are preset.

About

Thaw

This app visualizes your focus time by melting ice, celebrating effort over results. Collaborate with friends to melt shared ice and track your progress together. Earn cute rewards for your dedication.

Highlights
  • Ice melts as you focus
  • Collaborative ice melting with friends
  • Track focus consistency and immersion
  • Share focus sessions and study records
  • Earn cute in-app rewards
  • Start focusing independently
Features
Read full description

The timer's been working hard. But what did I actually do? There's more to studying than a number on a timer. λ”° is a study timer that lets you melt ice with friends and capture your study sessions in timelapse. Study appointments, reminders, and motivation features give you a reason to get started when sitting down feels like the hardest part. β€’ Keep a record of the work behind the hours Start the timer and use your camera to capture yourself studying. The problems you worked through. The pages you turned. Another day you showed up at your desk. You don't need to wait for your results to feel proud of the effort. β€’ Study together until the ice melts Your study time melts the ice. Invite friends, and everyone's time contributes to the same block. Join a friend who's studying now, or study at different times and work toward the same finish. β€’ Finish the ice. Share the story. When the ice has fully melted, a recap video brings your shared progress together. If you've captured camera footage, you can also watch a personal video featuring your own study moments. Save the finished videos and share them with friends. Go beyond β€œHow many hours?” and show β€œHere's what I worked on.” β€’ Make an appointment to start studying Sometimes β€œjust a little longer” turns into another hour. Choose a time to start studying and get a reminder. If you request phone support in advance and miss your study appointment, you may receive a call from someone on the λ”° team. Your study appointments are private. They aren't shared with friends. β€’ Start solo. Bring friends along. No study buddy yet? Start melting your own ice. Look back at your study record, then come back for your next session. Invite friends whenever you're ready. Keep more than the hours. Keep the moments you put in. Open λ”° and start melting your first ice.

Screenshots

MENTAL STAR3 screens
Thaw4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: MENTAL STAR at none against Thaw's shown. MENTAL STAR also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 days). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. MENTAL STAR sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Thaw sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MENTAL STAR ships an update every 2 days, Thaw every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 6 level
MENTAL STAR versus Thaw: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMENTAL STARThaw
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviewsβ€”100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 2 days β€” betterEvery 6 days
AdsNo β€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetizationβ€”Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.416.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size23 MB202 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSasagawa YoshihiroInflab

In-app purchases

3 purchases

MENTAL STAR

One-time3
  • FASTER and SLOWER$5.99
  • NO ADS$9.99
  • MORE WORDS in NEW and EDIT$19.99
3 purchases

Thaw

One-time3
  • κ°œλ°œμžμ—κ²Œ 컀피 ν•œ μž”$0.99
  • κ°œλ°œμžμ—κ²Œ 컀피 μ„Έ μž”$2.99
  • κ°œλ°œμžμ—κ²Œ 컀피 μ—΄ μž”$11.99

Questions

Is MENTAL STAR free?
MENTAL STAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Thaw free?
Thaw is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MENTAL STAR or Thaw have ads?
Thaw shows ads; MENTAL STAR does not.
Which is updated more often, MENTAL STAR or Thaw?
MENTAL STAR ships an update every 2 days, and Thaw every 6 days. Most recently, MENTAL STAR was updated on October 8, 2026 and Thaw on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons