Comparison

Pulse vs Dots

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

Head to head
About

Pulse

This app helps you build and maintain daily routines with customizable tracking and Home Screen widgets. Monitor progress, set reminders, and view statistics without needing an account or dealing with ads. Your data remains private and on your device.

Highlights
  • Home Screen widgets for quick tracking
  • Flexible daily, weekly, and monthly goal tracking
  • Progress statistics and streak monitoring
  • Customizable reminders
  • Data export to CSV
  • Light and dark mode support
Features
Read full description

Check off habits without opening the app. Pulse is the private habit tracker built around interactive Home Screen widgets. See today's routines at a glance, check them off in one tap, and stay consistent without an account, ads, or data collection. GOALS THAT FIT REAL LIFE Choose the schedule that matches each routine: • Every day • Selected days of the week • A flexible number of times per week • A flexible number of times per month ONE-TAP HOME SCREEN WIDGETS Add Pulse widgets to your Home Screen to: • Check off habits without opening the app • See what still needs attention today • Review your week at a glance • Stay focused without another distracting feed CALM, USEFUL PROGRESS • Current and best streaks • 7-, 30-, and 90-day completion rates • Activity history and consistency insights • Editable past check-ins • Gentle reminders at the time you choose PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No account required • No ads • No habit-data uploads • Your habit data stays on your device • CSV export for a personal backup Pulse is ideal for morning routines, exercise, hydration, reading, study, meditation, journaling, and any goal that benefits from a simple daily check-in. Start with a free 14-day trial and build a routine that works in real life. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pulsehabit.app/privacy

About

Dots

This is a free habit tracker focused on simplicity and visual progress. It offers clean design and customizable home screen widgets to help users build consistency and stay motivated with their daily routines.

Highlights
  • Free habit tracking
  • Customizable home screen widgets
  • Visual progress tracking with dots
  • Clean and focused design
  • Weekly and monthly heatmaps
Features
Read full description

Dots. is a habit tracker and daily routine planner designed for simplicity, clarity, and consistency. Build better habits with a clean, simple tracker and beautifully designed home screen widgets that make your progress instantly visible. Turn small daily actions into lasting routines — a lightweight habit tracker and productivity widget, all in one simple app. [Why Dots?] • Simple Habit Tracker Start tracking your daily habits with an intuitive, distraction-free habit tracker built around ease of use. • Beautiful Home Screen Widgets Add a minimal widget to your Home Screen and track habits at a glance. Monthly and weekly heatmap widgets make progress clear and motivating. • Visual Habit Tracking Every action becomes a dot. Watch your streaks grow with a simple visual tracker that highlights consistency. • Clean & Focused Design A simple habit tracker with no clutter — just the tools you need to build better routines. • Gentle Motivation A calm, simple tracking experience designed to support long-term habits without pressure. • Stats & Yearly Recap Your whole year at a glance — a heatmap of every habit, monthly charts, your records, and a recap you can share. [Dots Pro] Dots lets you track 3 habits for free. Dots Pro lifts the limit — monthly, yearly with the first month free, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled and can be managed or cancelled in the App Store at any time. Everything else stays free for everyone: widgets, the Apple Watch app, reminders, recaps, icons and colours. People who were already using Dots keep unlimited habits, for good. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Pulse4 screens
Dots4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Dots at free against Pulse's free with in-app purchases. Dots also leads on device support (3 vs 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. Pulse sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Dots sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Pulse versus Dots: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPulseDots
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.9 (219 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better98.2% of reviews
Number of ratings—219 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAri AparikyanJuyong Bak

Customer experience

Pulse

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dots

All ratings219 ratings
Positive99.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews55 reviews
Positive98.2%
Neutral1.8%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pulse

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Annual$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$99.99
3 purchases

Dots

Subscriptions2
  • Dots Pro — Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Dots Pro — Yearly1 Month trial$11.991 Year
One-time1
  • Dots Pro — Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Pulse free?
Pulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dots free?
Dots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pulse or Dots have ads?
Neither Pulse nor Dots shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pulse or Dots?
Pulse ships an update weekly, and Dots weekly. Most recently, Pulse was updated on October 5, 2026 and Dots on October 18, 2026.

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