Comparison

Reef vs Trance

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

Head to head
About

Reef

Features
Read full description

A cozy, gamified habit tracker: keep a habit, earn a pearl, and your ocean comes alive. Complete a habit, release a golden pearl and watch your reef react. Reef is a free habit tracker that makes consistency visible. A simple loop 1. Create one small habit. 2. Check it off when you complete it. 3. Release a pearl and see your ocean evolve. Build a daily routine one small habit at a time. Habits at your pace • Daily, weekly, or monthly habits (you pick the days), plus one-time tasks • Check-off habits, or focus habits validated by your focus time • Streaks, progress, and a daily reminder • Pearls, rewards, and a responsive ocean • 15 ocean species to discover Focus below the surface Start the focus timer and descend through 5 depth zones, from 5 minutes to 2 hours. Short sessions stay simple, while longer sessions take you deeper. A 25-minute session works like a pomodoro for study, work or reading, and you can join a friend's focus dive while they are diving. Gambi, by your side Gambi supports you with gentle messages and an optional reflection journal. Reef is a tracking tool, not a medical service. Habits with other players Each month you play in a crew of up to 10 players, and you can add friends. Your ocean stays yours. Free to start Use up to 6 habits and focus sessions up to 25 minutes without a subscription. Reef Plus unlocks higher limits, advanced focus and statistics, ocean themes, and other extras. Respect for your data Reef has no third-party ads and does not sell your personal data. You can delete your account and associated data from the app. Start with one habit. Your ocean will follow. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Trance

Features
Read full description

Set how long you want to focus, press start — and your own galaxy awakens on screen. Finish your session and a new star is born, glowing along a spiral arm. This simple rule turns "putting your phone down" into a joy. With Trance, focus isn't something you endure — it's the joy of growing your own galaxy. The core focus timer, galaxy, and soundscapes are free — with no ads. ■ How it works · Pick a focus length — preset buttons, or turn the ring minute by minute (1–180 min) · Your galaxy lives and turns while you focus · Finish, and a new star is born ■ Features · A living galaxy — luminous line-art drawn in light, a gently turning spiral · One evolving galaxy — every session adds stars and constellations to a shape that's yours alone · Star color & size — shaped by when and how long you focused · Weekly constellations — reach your weekly goal to connect that week's stars into a named figure · Constellation collection — revisit completed constellations and include them in your galaxy poster · 16 focus soundscapes — from real Mars wind recorded by NASA's Perseverance rover to rain, thunder, forest, waves, campfire, café and a singing bowl · Free poster — save and share your galaxy as a single image · Focus stats & insights — streaks, completion rate, a "night sky" activity map · Evolving galaxy shapes — spiral → barred → elliptical → ringed → irregular as you grow · 5 galaxy themes — Cyan / Rose / Emerald / Abyss / Aurora nebulae · Home & lock-screen widgets, plus a lock-screen timer (Live Activity) · Optional Trance Pro — app blocking during focus, multiple blocking sets, and protected-focus reports · No ads · no account — your focus history stays on-device (non-linked product analytics only) Start focusing — the most beautiful way. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Reef4 screens
Trance4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Reef at 3 against Trance's 1. Reef also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Reef sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Trance sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Reef versus Trance: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReefTrance
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB21 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperVictor Laybatsyusik koh

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Reef

Subscriptions2
  • Reef Plus 1 Month1 Month trial$6.991 Month
  • Reef Plus 1 Year$24.991 Year
3 purchases

Trance

Subscriptions2
  • trance Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • trance Pro Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • trance Pro Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Reef free?
Reef is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Trance free?
Trance is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reef or Trance have ads?
Neither Reef nor Trance shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reef or Trance?
Reef ships an update every 3 days, and Trance every 3 days. Most recently, Reef was updated on November 11, 2026 and Trance on November 10, 2026.

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