Comparison

Nautilus vs SwingCat

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

Head to head
About

Nautilus

Features
Read full description

For the hours you spend studying or working alone. While you dive, the apps you chose truly won't open. Exams, certifications, deep work included. Nautilus folds three things into one action: dive. REAL BLOCKING, AT THE OS LEVEL Tap to dive, and the apps you chose (social, YouTube, etc.) are shielded on the spot via Screen Time. Not a reminder — while you're diving, those apps genuinely won't open. Block sets change per focus type (e.g. Reading vs. Coding). DUMP A DISTRACTION IN 3 SECONDS A stray "I need to do that" mid-session? Jot it down from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island in about 3 seconds, without leaving focus. Everything you dumped is waiting for you when you surface. SURFACE, AND IT'S ALREADY A JOURNAL When you surface, that session becomes a log entry automatically — what you dove into, how long, what distractions you dumped. No manual logging. DESIGNED FOR ZERO GUILT No red badges. A zero-minute day isn't punished. "Depth," the number that reflects your focus quality, only ever goes up. Blocking relies on the device's Screen Time framework.

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

Nautilus4 screens
SwingCat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Nautilus at none against SwingCat's shown. SwingCat's advantage is iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nautilus ships an update every 5 days, SwingCat every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
Nautilus versus SwingCat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNautilusSwingCat
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHIROTO IGUCHISYNCRAFT

In-app purchases

None

Nautilus

No in-app purchases

None

SwingCat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Nautilus free?
Nautilus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SwingCat free?
SwingCat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Nautilus or SwingCat have ads?
SwingCat shows ads; Nautilus does not.
Which is updated more often, Nautilus or SwingCat?
Nautilus ships an update every 5 days, and SwingCat every 9 days. Most recently, Nautilus was updated on October 11, 2026 and SwingCat on October 8, 2026.

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