SpendPause vs Pennygrove
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SpendPause
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SpendPause puts a 60-second pause between you and impulse purchases. Before you buy, tap the button. A countdown runs four reflection questions that help you decide if you really need it. Most impulse buys happen because there's no friction. SpendPause adds just enough friction — without judgment. FEATURES • 60-second pause timer with 4 guided reflection questions • Track what you skipped and how much you saved • Monthly reflection to see your progress month by month • Custom reflection prompts (Premium) • 24-hour wait reminders for items you're still considering • Clean, distraction-free dark interface HOW IT WORKS 1. You're about to buy something — tap "I'm about to buy something" 2. Enter the price and item name 3. A 60-second timer runs with reflection questions 4. Decide: skip it or buy it 5. Your savings build up over time PREMIUM Unlock unlimited pauses, custom reflection questions and monthly spending reflection. Subscription options: • Monthly: £4.99/month • Yearly: £29.99/year (save 50%) Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID account settings. Privacy Policy: https://itsniels.com/spendpause/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ If the urge passes in 60 seconds, it probably wasn't worth it.
Pennygrove
This app gamifies the no-spend challenge by growing a virtual garden based on your skipped purchases. Track your progress visually with a growing plant and unlock new species as you save money. It offers a guilt-free way to build streaks and see your savings accumulate.
- Daily 1-tap check-in
- Visual garden growth
- Streak calendar with monthly freeze
- Unlockable plant species
- Home screen widget
- Savings in local currency
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Every day you don't spend, your garden grows. Pennygrove turns the no spend challenge into a living garden. Check in once a day, watch your plant grow, and build a streak of skipped purchases you can actually see. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick what you're skipping — coffee, impulse buys, online shopping, or everything. 2. Check in with one tap each evening. Skipped it today? Your plant grows. Spent? It just waits — progress never resets. 3. Log what you would have spent (optional) and watch your saved total fill the grove. WHAT YOU GET • 1-tap daily check-in — no bank sync, no spreadsheets, no guilt • Streak calendar with a free monthly freeze — and a slip never erases your plant's growth • Your first plant blooms after 5 no-spend days, then joins your grove and a new seed sprouts • Seed collection: unlock 12 plant species as your no-spend days and savings add up — then plant them next • Home Screen widget that keeps your streak in sight • Share cards — post your grove when it blooms • Savings shown in your own currency WHY IT'S DIFFERENT Most no spend trackers are a calendar you mark by hand. Pennygrove gives your self-control a shape: skipped days become growth, milestones become new species, and the money you didn't spend becomes a garden you did. FREE. NO ACCOUNT. NO BANK LOGIN. Your check-ins are stored on your device. No account, no sign-up, no bank connection. If you add friends, your progress is shared with them. The app is free with occasional ads — a single one-time purchase removes them forever. No subscription, ever. (An app about not spending shouldn't bill you monthly.) Start your no buy challenge tonight. Plant the first seed.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: SpendPause at none against Pennygrove's shown. SpendPause also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. SpendPause sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Pennygrove sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | SpendPause | Pennygrove |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 5 days |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Niels-Benjamin Schnadt | JIHWAN SEOK |
In-app purchases
SpendPause
- SpendPause Premium$4.991 Month
- SpendPause Premium$29.991 Year
Pennygrove
- Watercolor Plant Pack$2.99
- Pennygrove Forever$4.99








