Comparison

wallpaperOS vs petsum

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

Head to head
About

wallpaperOS

Transform your device with unique, animated wallpapers generated by mathematical and artistic principles. Customize every aspect, from speed and color to adding a functional clock overlay and ambient sounds. Enjoy an ever-changing, visually stunning display.

Highlights
  • Generative animated wallpapers
  • Customizable clock overlay
  • Ambient soundscapes
  • Deep customization options
  • Auto-refresh for variety
  • Save and reorder favorites
Features
Read full description

wallpaperOS brings generative art to your screen with handcrafted animated wallpapers. Each one is built on a different mathematical or artistic foundation - from flowing polar curves to procedural forests, Mondrian-inspired compositions to Ishihara dot patterns. Every wallpaper is deeply customizable. Adjust speed, color themes, line weight, complexity, and more. A built-in clock overlay lets you turn your display into a minimal desk piece with customizable fonts, sizes, and free positioning. Ambient sounds like rain, trains, and birdsong play seamlessly in the background. Features: • Unique animated wallpapers rendered at 60 fps • 10 ambient sounds with seamless crossfade looping • Multiple color themes per wallpaper • Dark mode support with adaptive color rendering • Customizable digital clock with drag-to-position • Save and reorder your favorite wallpapers • Immersive full-screen mode • Auto-refresh for endless generative variety Free and Pro: • Free wallpapers and ambient sounds included, no purchase required • Upgrade to Pro for all wallpapers, additional sounds, custom app icons, and future additions • One-time purchase - no subscriptions, no recurring fees

About

petsum

Features
Read full description

For anyone who looks for their pet's face every time they pick up their iPhone. petsum turns a photo you took into a familiar face on Dynamic Island and the Lock Screen. It can also bring back one forgotten moment from your photo library at a time. ■ Start with one photo Choose a photo, and petsum finds your pet and separates them cleanly from the background. If the automatic cutout needs a little help, refine it with crop and erase tools. Adjust the display size, then preview exactly how it will look on Dynamic Island and the Lock Screen before you save. ■ Add a name and a little message Your pet appears with their name and a message that changes with the time of day. Keep multiple photos in their own spots, then swipe through them on the app's Home screen to choose the one you want to see. ■ Rediscover one moment at a time Choose a favorite album or select a few photos. While the Live Activity is running, one of them will appear when you least expect it. Tap the photo to see it full size and check when it was taken. Keep the moments you want to revisit, skip one for now, or exclude a photo you do not want to see again. ■ Your photos and pet details stay on your device No account or sign-in is required. The photos you choose, your pet's name, and your edits are processed and stored on your device. They are never uploaded to an external server. ■ Start free. No subscription. Saving and editing photos is always free. You can show your first five new photos on Dynamic Island and the Lock Screen for free. After that, one purchase unlocks new photo registrations and additional photo spots. Photos you have already registered can always be shown again without a purchase.

Screenshots

wallpaperOS4 screens
petsum4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: petsum at none against wallpaperOS's 1. wallpaperOS's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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. wallpaperOS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. petsum asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

wallpaperOS ships an update every 2 weeks, petsum every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
wallpaperOS versus petsum: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterwallpaperOSpetsum
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size157 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMax MarquardtIhyun Nam

In-app purchases

1 purchases

wallpaperOS

One-time1
  • wallpaperOS Pro$4.99
None

petsum

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is wallpaperOS free?
wallpaperOS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is petsum free?
petsum is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do wallpaperOS or petsum have ads?
Neither wallpaperOS nor petsum shows ads.
Which is updated more often, wallpaperOS or petsum?
wallpaperOS ships an update every 2 weeks, and petsum every 9 days. Most recently, wallpaperOS was updated on October 8, 2026 and petsum on October 4, 2026.

Other comparisons