# Pulse vs Dots

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulse | Dots |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (219 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dots-habit-tracker-widget/id6758730376/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **219** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 98.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 34 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ari Aparikyan](https://appshunter.io/developer/952373447) | [Juyong Bak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791986531) |

## What reviewers say

### Pulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulse-habit-tracker-widget/id6758529531)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


### Dots

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dots-habit-tracker-widget/id6758730376)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dots Pro — Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Dots Pro — Yearly | $11.99 | per year |
| Dots Pro — Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*