Comparison

Readeck vs Time Pencil

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

Head to head
About

Readeck

Organize your web links with categories, tags, and offline reading capabilities. This app offers a native iOS design with customizable layouts and annotation tools for an enhanced reading experience. It prioritizes user privacy with a self-hosted backend option.

Highlights
  • Organize links by categories and tags
  • Offline reading with background sync
  • Share extension for easy saving
  • Customizable card layout styles
  • Highlight and annotate text
  • Self-hosted backend for privacy
Features
Read full description

Organize all your links with categories, offline support, and native iOS design. The native iOS client for readeck.org brings professional bookmark management to your iPhone and iPad. iOS 26 ready – Optimized for the latest iOS version Smart Organization • Organize bookmarks in categories: All, Unread, Favorites, Archive, Articles, Videos, Pictures • Dynamic tag system with search functionality • Swipe actions for quick management Share Extension • Add URLs directly from Safari and other apps • Works with any app that supports sharing • Automatic metadata extraction Three Card Layout Styles • Compact layout for quick browsing • Magazine style for visual appeal • Natural layout for optimal readability Universal App • Native iOS design with Dark Mode support • iPad support with multi-column split view and sidebar menu • Also available for Mac • Responsive design for all devices Offline Reading • Read articles without internet connection • Automatic background sync keeps unread articles cached • Choose how many articles to cache (5–100) • Pre-download images for offline viewing • Save bookmarks offline via share extension Enhanced Reading Experience • Highlight and annotate text passages with multiple colors • 10+ fonts including Literata, Merriweather, SF Pro and New York • Article view with reading time and word count • Reading progress tracking • Undo delete system with visual progress Privacy & Control • Self-hosted backend - your data stays on your server • Secure OAuth 2.0 login via browser • VPN and private network support (e.g. Tailscale) • HTTP and self-signed certificate support • No tracking or analytics Important Note: This app requires your own Readeck server instance. You must run your own Readeck server or have access to one to use this app.

About

Time Pencil

Visualize your schedule by drawing events directly onto a clock face. This app offers intuitive tap-to-edit functionality and haptic feedback for a tactile planning experience. It seamlessly syncs with your iOS Calendar and iCloud, and includes widgets for your home and lock screens, plus an Apple Watch app.

Highlights
  • Draw events around a clock
  • Tap to edit and move events
  • Haptic feedback for tactile precision
  • Automatic fading of past events
  • Syncs with iOS Calendar and iCloud
  • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets
  • Apple Watch companion app
Features
Read full description

Time Pencil is a clock with some markers to visualise your day with time YOUR CALENDAR, AROUND THE DIAL Time Pencil reads your existing calendars and lays each event as a colored arc on the clock. Overlaps, gaps, the shape of a busy afternoon — it's all visible at once, the way time actually feels. DRAW YOUR DAY Block out focus time, a workout, a break, or "leave for the airport" by drawing an arc right onto the clock. Drop a note sticker anywhere. Planning becomes a two-second gesture instead of a form to fill in. ALWAYS IN VIEW • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets keep today's clock a glance away. • A Live Activity counts down your next block in the Dynamic Island. • Apple Watch support to carry your day on your wrist. MAKE IT YOURS • 12-hour or 24-hour dial. • Sky mode paints the clock with the real sky — dawn, daylight, dusk, night — as the day moves. • Zen mode strips everything back to the essentials. • Marker colors, hourly chimes, and more. FREE TO SEE YOUR DAY Your calendar around the clock and the widgets are free, forever. Unlock drawing, the 24-hour dial, and Sky and Zen modes with a one-time purchase or a monthly plan — with a free trial so you can try everything first. Time Pencil speaks 20 languages, and no account is required to get started.

Screenshots

Readeck4 screens
Time Pencil4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Readeck at none against Time Pencil's 2. Readeck also leads on ratings volume (10 vs 3). Time Pencil's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. Time Pencil sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Readeck asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Time Pencil holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Readeck ships an update every 5 weeks, Time Pencil monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Readeck versus Time Pencil: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReadeckTime Pencil
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (10 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings10 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.116.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIlyas HallakVineet Kapil

Customer experience

Readeck

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Time Pencil

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Readeck

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Time Pencil

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is Readeck free?
Readeck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Time Pencil free?
Time Pencil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Readeck or Time Pencil?
Time Pencil is rated higher. Readeck averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Time Pencil averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Readeck or Time Pencil have ads?
Neither Readeck nor Time Pencil shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Readeck or Time Pencil?
Readeck ships an update every 5 weeks, and Time Pencil monthly. Most recently, Readeck was updated on September 24, 2026 and Time Pencil on September 24, 2026.

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