Comparison

Custom Keyboard vs Now

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

Head to head
About

Custom Keyboard

Features
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WorkType is a custom keyboard for people who type the same useful things every day. Save routine text once, then use it anywhere you type. WorkType keeps phrases, dates, cleanup tools, calculator input, and Apple Shortcuts buttons close to the text field, so you can move faster without jumping between apps. Use WorkType to: - Insert dates and times in your favorite formats - Save quick replies, signatures, addresses, and snippets - Organize phrases by work, home, school, travel, or any routine - Clean pasted text with trim, case change, sort, bullet, encode, and URL tools - Calculate numbers without leaving the keyboard - Run Apple Shortcuts from custom keyboard buttons WorkType is built for everyday writing: messages, notes, forms, emails, planning, support replies, and any place where repeated typing slows you down. Privacy note: iOS custom keyboards need Full Access for clipboard utilities and Shortcuts handoff. Date, phrase, and calculator features can be used without clipboard access. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Now

Features
Read full description

One task. One small step. A simpler way to get started. Now helps you clear your head, choose what matters and begin with a short, visible timer. It's built for anyone who finds starting hard, including many people with ADHD, and it's free to use with no account. START ONE TASK The Now screen shows one task, one concrete first step, and a big start button. No endless list. Type a task like "Clean the kitchen" and Now suggests a first step like "Put five dishes in the sink". You can edit it, choose another, or make it smaller. GET UNSTUCK Tap "I'm stuck" and pick what's in the way: don't know where to start, too big, low energy, distracted, waiting on something, or need a break. Each answer gives you one practical next move, such as 2 to 5 editable steps, the tiniest version of the task, or a timed break. START WITH TWO MINUTES A calm visual ring counts down two minutes. You can pause, resume, stop early or keep going. Ending early still counts. Timers keep correct time when your phone is locked or the app is closed, and a notification can let you know when time is up. FOCUS YOUR WAY After your start, choose 5, 10, 15 or 25 minutes, a custom length, or no timer at all. Breaks are built in. CLEAR YOUR HEAD Brain Dump gives you one big box for everything on your mind. Type it, or use the keyboard's microphone to dictate. Now splits it into tasks, and nothing is lost. Then pick one thing to start. KEEP YOUR PLAN SIMPLE The daily plan holds up to three tasks: one main, one smaller, one optional bonus. Everything else waits in a private parking lot (Later, Someday, Waiting, Completed), and nothing is automatically deleted. Unfinished tasks never pile onto tomorrow. MATCH YOUR ENERGY Comfy, Balanced or Turbo. You choose the pace, and you can change it anytime. SEE YOUR TIME Progress shows the facts: tasks finished, two-minute starts, recorded focus time, and days with a finished task. Time Mirror compares your estimates with the time you actually recorded. MEET MOCHI (OPTIONAL) Mochi is a small companion that naps while you focus and celebrates quietly when you finish. It grows with the tasks you complete. It's never needy or sad, and you can hide it with one switch. QUIET MODE Hide Mochi and decoration so you see just the task, the timer and the next step. You can also turn off Sparks and rewards, reduce animations, and silence sounds. Now respects Reduce Motion and works with VoiceOver and Dynamic Type. FREE AND PRO Free forever: the one-task screen, two-minute starter, Stuck button, task breakdown, unlimited tasks, Brain Dump, focus timers, daily plan and parking lot, reminders, Quiet Mode, and full data export. Now Pro adds routines, full Time Mirror history and insights, full task history with spreadsheet (CSV) export, and premium Mochi customization. Pro costs $4.99/month, $29.99/year or $59.99 once for lifetime (US prices; local prices are shown in the app). The yearly plan may include a free trial for eligible new subscribers, and the app shows this before you buy. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage them in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Optional one-time cosmetic purchases (the characters Blaze, Luna and Nova, and Sparks packs) only change how your companion looks. PRIVATE BY DESIGN There's no account. Your tasks, notes and history are stored on your iPhone. Export or delete them anytime. Purchases are processed by Apple, and RevenueCat receives an anonymous identifier to confirm your subscription. Your tasks are never sent. Now is a productivity-support tool. It does not diagnose, treat or manage ADHD or any medical condition. Terms: https://61ffklb56je1kkdm9fhht-web.rork.live/terms Privacy: https://61ffklb56je1kkdm9fhht-web.rork.live/privacy

Screenshots

Custom Keyboard4 screens
Now4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Custom Keyboard at weekly against Now's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Custom Keyboard sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Now sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Custom Keyboard ships an update weekly, Now every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Custom Keyboard versus Now: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCustom KeyboardNow
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly โ€” betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size9 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBhagya SilvaJames Gray

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Custom Keyboard

Subscriptions3
  • WorkType Pro Weekly7 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • WorkType Pro Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • WorkType Pro Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
8 purchases

Now

Subscriptions2
  • Now Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Now Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time6
  • Spark Pouch$1.99
  • Luna the Moon Bunny$2.99
  • Blaze the Fox$2.99
Show 3 more
  • Nova the Star Pup$4.99
  • Spark Chest$4.99
  • Now Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Custom Keyboard free?
Custom Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Now free?
Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Custom Keyboard or Now have ads?
Neither Custom Keyboard nor Now shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Custom Keyboard or Now?
Custom Keyboard ships an update weekly, and Now every 2 months. Most recently, Custom Keyboard was updated on September 28, 2026 and Now on October 11, 2026.

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