Comparison

HOPE vs SwingCat

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

Head to head
About

HOPE

This app helps you limit smartphone usage by requiring you to physically interact with a device to start and stop restrictions. It offers customizable app blocking, a powerful mode to prevent deletion, and an alarm that can only be silenced by using the physical device. Earn new theme colors and track your reclaimed time.

Highlights
  • Physical device interaction for start/stop
  • Customizable app restrictions
  • Powerful mode to prevent deletion
  • Alarm requires physical device interaction
  • Routine scheduling
  • Unlockable theme colors
  • Time reclaimed tracking
Features
Read full description

スクリーンタイムの制限は「無視」を押せば終わってしまう。 HOPEは、意志ではなく「仕組み」でスマホを止めるアプリです。 実物のHOPEにiPhoneをかざすと、選んだアプリの制限が始まります。解除するには、もう一度HOPEにかざすだけ。HOPEを机の引き出しや別の部屋に置いておけば、「ちょっとだけ」が自然となくなります。 ■ かざして開始、かざして解除 ・ホームのHOPEボタンを押して、HOPEにかざすだけ ・制限するアプリは自分で選べます(SNS、動画、ゲームなど) ・「選んだアプリを制限」と「選んだアプリ以外を制限」の2つの方式 ・よく使う組み合わせはプリセットとして保存 ■ 強力モード ・制限中はHOPEアプリを削除できないようにできます ・抜け道に頼らず、決めた時間を守れます ■ 緊急解除(3回) ・HOPEをなくしたときや本当に必要なときのために、緊急解除を3回用意しています ・使い切っても60日で回復。閉じ込められる心配はありません ・電話や緊急通報はいつでも使えます ■ HOPEをタップしないと止まらないアラーム ・アラームを止めるにはHOPEにかざす必要があります ・HOPEを洗面所やキッチンに置けば、起き上がるしかありません ・iOS 26以降はAlarmKitに対応し、消音モードでも鳴ります (iOS 26未満は通知音で鳴らすため、消音モードでは鳴らない場合があります) ■ ルーティーン ・曜日と時間を決めて、自動で制限を始められます ・夜は寝る前、朝は起きてから、勉強や仕事の時間に ■ もっと続けたくなる工夫 ・制限した時間が合計1時間たまるごとに、新しいテーマカラーが解禁 ・100時間で特別な「金」のテーマ ・記録画面で、取り戻した時間を確認・シェア ■ ウィジェット・ライブアクティビティ・Appクリップ ・ホーム画面やロック画面で制限の状態をひと目で確認 ・アプリが入っていないiPhoneでも、HOPEにかざすとAppクリップのカードが表示されます ■ プライバシー ・ログイン不要、アカウント登録もありません ・データはすべてiPhoneの中だけ。外部に送信・収集しません ・スクリーンタイムAPI(Family Controls)を使い、どのアプリを選んだかもAppleの仕組みの中で守られます ■ ご利用にあたって ・開始と解除には実物のHOPEが必要です。HOPEは公式ストアで販売しています ・iOS 18以降、iPhone XS / XR以降 ・初回にスクリーンタイムへのアクセス許可が必要です 旧アプリ「HOLE」をお使いの方は、そのままアップデートしてご利用いただけます。

About

SwingCat

This app uses a playful swinging cat animation to help you stay focused during study or work sessions. Complete your focus time to collect more cats and grow your virtual cat world. It offers a gamified approach to productivity and time management.

Highlights
  • Playful swinging cat animation
  • Collectible cats
  • Focus session tracking
  • Customizable focus duration
  • Detailed focus history
  • Gamified productivity
Features
Read full description

SwingCat is a simple focus timer where you stay focused with a swinging cat. Start the timer, and your cat grabs onto the pendulum and swings along with you. Stay focused until the end to succeed. Stop early, and your cat may fall or run away. The more you focus, the more cats you can collect. Use SwingCat for studying, work, reading, deep focus, or as a Pomodoro timer. 【Features】 ・A simple focus timer that's easy to start ・Collect cats by completing focus sessions ・Live with a growing collection of unique cats ・Enjoy playful cat animations ・Track your focus time by day, week, and month ・Review your recent focus sessions and tasks ・Set your own focus duration 【Focus more. Meet more cats.】 Complete your focus sessions and your little cat world will gradually grow. The cats you collect live together in your house, each with their own little moments and behaviors. SwingCat turns the time you spend focusing into something you can see, collect, and enjoy. 【And when focus doesn't go as planned】 End a session early, and your cat may fall or run away. You don't have to be perfectly focused every day. Just start again with your cat when you're ready. 【Great for】 ・Studying and homework ・Work and deep focus ・Reading and exam preparation ・Pomodoro sessions ・Staying off your phone while working ・Tracking your daily focus time 【SwingCat Pro】 SwingCat is free to use with its core features. With SwingCat Pro, you can enjoy: ・More cats ・All available items ・More detailed focus history and statistics ・Additional themes and customization options SwingCat Pro is available as a monthly or yearly subscription, or as a one-time purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled and can be canceled at any time. A one-time purchase gives you ongoing access with a single payment. • Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • The subscription automatically renews for the same duration and price unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. • Refund requests are handled by Apple in accordance with its refund policies. A timer alone can feel a little boring. So let a cat swing with you while you focus. SwingCat Focus with a cat by your side. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://syncraft.dev/swingcat/privacy/index.html

Screenshots

HOPE4 screens
SwingCat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HOPE at none against SwingCat's 3. HOPE also leads on ads (none vs shown). SwingCat's advantage is iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence 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

Both are free to download. SwingCat sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. HOPE asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HOPE ships an update weekly, SwingCat every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
HOPE versus SwingCat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHOPESwingCat
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRAIAN ABOSYNCRAFT

Customer experience

HOPE

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

SwingCat

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HOPE

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

SwingCat

Subscriptions2
  • SwingCat Pro – Monthly$1.991 Month
  • SwingCat Pro - Annual$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • SwingCat Pro_Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is HOPE free?
HOPE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SwingCat free?
SwingCat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do HOPE or SwingCat have ads?
SwingCat shows ads; HOPE does not.
Which is updated more often, HOPE or SwingCat?
HOPE ships an update weekly, and SwingCat every 8 days. Most recently, HOPE was updated on November 5, 2026 and SwingCat on November 6, 2026.

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