Comparison

Pairly Widget vs Pocketmate

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

Head to head
About

Pairly Widget

Features
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Bring your favorite person a little closer. Send a note, doodle, or photo straight to your partner’s Home Screen widget. Draw together live and follow each other’s strokes in a Lock Screen Live Activity. Add custom nicknames and save surprises for later, whether you’re together or long-distance. SHARE LITTLE MOMENTS β€’ Notes and drawings: Write a message or draw on the canvas, then send it to your partner. β€’ Photo sharing: Capture everyday moments and share them directly with your partner. β€’ Home Screen widgets: See your partner’s latest note at a glance. β€’ Live Canvas: Draw together in real time and follow strokes on the Lock Screen. Dynamic Island is available on supported iPhones. β€’ Custom nicknames: Choose a personal name for your partner and see it across Pairly and your widgets. β€’ Scratch to Reveal (Pro): Hide a note or photo under a scratchable layer. β€’ Time Capsule (Pro): Schedule a note to unlock at the time you choose. END-TO-END ENCRYPTION Eligible paired note images are encrypted on-device when both partners’ encryption keys are ready. Fallback images, and Live Canvas images aren’t end-to-end encrypted. PAIRLY PRO Pairly Pro offers weekly and yearly subscriptions and a one-time lifetime purchase. A Pro purchase unlocks Pro features for both linked partners. Weekly and yearly subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://pairly-widget.notion.site/terms-conditions Privacy Policy: https://pairly-widget.notion.site/privacy-policy Support: pairlywidget@gmail.com

About

Pocketmate

Features
Read full description

Pocketmate puts the two of you on each other's home screen and lock screen. A drawing, a photo, the days until you meet again: your person sees it without opening an app. Made for couples, close by or long distance. Home screen widgets Pick a widget, put it on your home screen, done. - Photo: the latest photo one of you sent, shown in the Pocketmate widget. - Doodle: the newest drawing, from whichever of you drew last. - Counter: today's count for both of you, side by side. - Status: let your person know how you are. - Distance: how far apart you are. - Countdown: the days until you see each other. - Streak: how many days in a row you've kept it going. - Sleep: your sleep from Apple Health, read only with your permission. Lock screen Three widgets that tick by the second: how long you've been together, the time until your anniversary, and a countdown to your next meeting. Draw onto their lock screen Draw something and it lands on their lock screen and in the Dynamic Island. It stays there for 30 minutes. With the drawing screen open on both phones, you watch each other's strokes arrive. 6 colors, 7 pens, 16 stickers, shapes and an eraser. Lock screen drawings need iOS 16.2 or later. For a drawing to open on their lock screen on its own, their iPhone needs iOS 17.2 or later. Play together - Live jigsaw: the pieces move on both phones at once, and every placed piece is saved for both of you. 24, 48 or 96 pieces, with your own photo or a built-in picture. Or solve it alone. - This or That: each of you answers on your own phone, and you see their pick once you've answered. 30 questions, or 40 with the optional spicy set. - 23 games on one phone, against the phone or passed back and forth: chess, checkers, four in a row, memory, hangman, pool, draw and guess and more. Your numbers The Us tab counts days together, days until your anniversary, both birthdays, your shared streak, the distance between you and more. The map shows both your faces with the distance in km and the city. No live tracking: your position is only read while the app is open. Connecting Pocketmate is for one person: yours. Type their code, tap their invite link, scan their QR code or find them in your contacts, and you're connected right away. Notifications Get a note when your person draws, sends a photo, starts a countdown or a puzzle, or shares a new status. At 9 a.m. Pocketmate reminds you of your anniversary, milestones like 100 or 1,000 days, their birthday and your countdown. After three quiet days it suggests a small hello, at most once a week. Three switches decide what you get. What you share Status, location and your streak only reach your person after you switch them on. Drawings, photos, the countdown, your together date, the jigsaw and This or That belong to both of you. Your counter and your birthday are always visible to your person. Your location is rounded to about 1 km before it leaves your phone. Photos you send are stored privately, and only the two of you can open them. Sleep is read from Apple Health with your consent, and nothing is written back. Pocketmate Pro Plenty is free: the photo, doodle and counter widgets, drawing onto their lock screen, ten games, This or That, and the jigsaw with your own photos and two built-in pictures. Pro adds: - the status, sleep, distance, countdown and streak widgets - all 23 games and six more jigsaw pictures - your whole history in the stats - streak repair twice a month - every glow color for your avatar Pro applies to your own account. It is billed through your App Store account and can be cancelled anytime in your account settings. Languages English, German, Italian, French and Spanish. Privacy Policy: https://getklar.org/pocketmate/privacy Terms of Use: https://getklar.org/pocketmate/terms Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Pairly Widget4 screens
Pocketmate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pocketmate at every 9 days against Pairly Widget's every 4 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Pairly Widget sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Pocketmate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pairly Widget ships an update every 4 months, Pocketmate every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 11, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Pairly Widget versus Pocketmate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPairly WidgetPocketmate
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 9 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.416.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size62 MB76 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperHayrullah Emre TasAlain Kessler

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pairly Widget

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Pro$2.997 Days
  • Yearly Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$49.99
2 purchases

Pocketmate

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Pairly Widget free?
Pairly Widget is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pocketmate free?
Pocketmate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pairly Widget or Pocketmate have ads?
Neither Pairly Widget nor Pocketmate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pairly Widget or Pocketmate?
Pairly Widget ships an update every 4 months, and Pocketmate every 9 days. Most recently, Pairly Widget was updated on October 11, 2026 and Pocketmate on October 11, 2026.

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