Comparison

TURN vs Root

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

Head to head
About

TURN

This app offers a unique, minimalist approach to time management. Simply tilt your phone to select a preset focus or break duration, then tap to start. Sessions conclude when you decide they're finished, promoting uninterrupted work and mindful breaks.

Highlights
  • Tilt-based time selection
  • Customizable presets
  • Manual session ending
  • Automatic logging
  • Filtered records
  • Dark and light themes
Features
Read full description

Tilt to choose. Tap to begin. TURN removes every step between you and focus. No lists to scroll. No sliders to drag. Tilt your phone toward one of four directions, each mapped to a preset time, and tap the compass to start. Once you start, there's nothing to look at. The timer keeps running no matter how you set the phone down. When it reaches zero, it doesn't end on its own — it keeps going until you say done. Not "stop at 25 minutes," but "stop when I'm finished." Breaks work the same way. Start one and step away. A notification brings you back. Designed in Seoul by Pukaki. Features - Tilt-based time selection, four customizable presets - Focus, Break, and Long Break — all set in minutes - Sessions end when you decide, not when the clock does - Automatic logging with optional tags - Records filtered by date or tag - Matt white and Matt black themes - No accounts. No tracking. No ads.

About

Root

Features
Read full description

Root is a personal space where ideas and everyday life take root. KEEP WHAT INSPIRES YOU Collect photos, text, and stickers on boards. Capture a moment or turn your own photos into stickers to make each board yours. GIVE YOUR IDEAS ROOM TO GROW Organize boards in folders and build a hierarchy for your projects. Keep everyday memories, creative inspiration, and work plans together without mixing them up. TURN A BOARD INTO A GOAL Manage a board as a goal, organize subgoals, set priorities and dates, and use reminders to stay connected to what matters. Keep ongoing, completed, and archived goals separate. MAKE SPACE FOR TODAY Quickly capture tasks, add times and reminders when needed, and view your day in the calendar. Connect a task to a board or goal to keep the bigger picture close. YOUR OWN PERSONAL SPACE Start without creating a Root account. Export and restore your workspace using backup files. ROOT PRO Root is free to download, with an optional auto-renewable Root Pro subscription for additional features. Available plans and local prices are shown in the app before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://root-website-tawny.vercel.app/terms/en/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

TURN4 screens
Root4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Root at Free against TURN's $1.99. Root also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). TURN's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

Root is free to download; TURN costs $1.99 up front. Root sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. TURN asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TURN versus Root: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTURNRoot
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB129 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJunhong ParkJin Hyundeok

In-app purchases

None

TURN

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Root

Subscriptions2
  • Root Pro7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Root Pro Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is TURN free?
TURN costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Root free?
Root is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TURN or Root have ads?
Neither TURN nor Root shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TURN or Root?
TURN ships an update every 3 days, and Root every 3 days. Most recently, TURN was updated on October 31, 2026 and Root on October 24, 2026.

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