Comparison

BinaryClockWatch vs Strange Clocks

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

Head to head
About

BinaryClockWatch

Features
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BinaryClockWatch doesn't show the time like every other watch. It shows it in 13 different number systems, right on your watch face as a complication. From binary and BCD (binary-coded decimal) to octal, hexadecimal, Gray code, balanced ternary, Fibonacci, Babylonian base 60, Braille, Mayan numerals, Roman numerals, Cistercian monk numerals and the I Ching: every system shows hours and minutes its own way, with 20 complications for every watch face family. FEATURES โ€ข 13 number systems as watch face complications โ€ข Concentric rings, BCD dot grids or inline text, depending on the system โ€ข Separate hour and minute rings for more flexibility โ€ข Corner complications with a curved dot line along the edge of the watch face โ€ข Automatic color adaptation to your system theme โ€ข Built-in guide with an explanation and a live example for each of the 13 systems โ€ข Completely free: no ads, no in-app purchases, no data collected For everyone who would rather read the time than just glance at it, and for everyone who finds number systems fascinating. BinaryClockWatch runs independently on Apple Watch, no iPhone app required.

About

Strange Clocks

Features
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Strange Clocks turns "what time is it?" into a small daily puzzle. Instead of one clock face, you get 15, each a different, real way humans (and machines) have told time throughout history: from a Cold War-era German clock made of lamps to the way a resistor's color bands encode a number. Every clock is stranger than the last, but none of them stay strange for long. Each one ships with a short animated guide that highlights exactly what to read and when, plus a live calculation line so you can watch the math happen in real time. WHAT'S INSIDE - 15 unusual clocks: Berlin Clock, Word Clock, Binary Clock, Cistercian Clock, Fibonacci Clock, Tix Clock, Hex Clock, Maya Clock, Moon Clock, Polar Clock, Resistor Clock, Decimal Time, Internet Time, Roman Hours, and the Prague Orloj. - An animated how-to-read guide for every single clock, no exceptions. - Widgets for Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy, in small and medium sizes. - Clock Wall mode: turn your iPhone, or the inner display of iPhone Duo, into a live wall of clocks, screensaver-style. - 10 languages: English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Korean, and Italian. ONE CLOCK ON US Pick any clock as your gift and keep it free, forever: live in the app, on your widgets, and in StandBy. Every how-to-read guide is free for all 15. Want them all? A single one-time purchase of $1.99 unlocks every clock. No subscription, no recurring charges, no ads, and no tracking, ever. PRIVACY Strange Clocks doesn't collect your data. The one place it asks for location, to compute local sunrise and sunset for the Roman Hours clock, is used entirely on your device and never leaves it. Fifteen clocks. One phone. Zero reasons to know what time it "normally" is.

Screenshots

Strange Clocks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BinaryClockWatch at none against Strange Clocks's 1. BinaryClockWatch also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Strange Clocks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BinaryClockWatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BinaryClockWatch ships an update daily, Strange Clocks every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
BinaryClockWatch versus Strange Clocks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBinaryClockWatchStrange Clocks
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyDaily โ€” betterEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch โ€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size2 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristian KoysKIP Networks

In-app purchases

None

BinaryClockWatch

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Strange Clocks

One-time1
  • Unlock all 15 clocks$1.99

Questions

Is BinaryClockWatch free?
BinaryClockWatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Strange Clocks free?
Strange Clocks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BinaryClockWatch or Strange Clocks have ads?
Neither BinaryClockWatch nor Strange Clocks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BinaryClockWatch or Strange Clocks?
BinaryClockWatch ships an update daily, and Strange Clocks every 3 days. Most recently, BinaryClockWatch was updated on October 29, 2026 and Strange Clocks on October 29, 2026.

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