Comparison

Stay Clock vs Always on Display Clock

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

Head to head
About

Stay Clock

Features
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Optimized for iPhone Duo. Built with the latest SDK, the app fills the entire inner display and automatically adjusts its layout whether the device is folded or open. Stay Clock turns your iPhone or iPad into an always-on desk clock you can read from across the room. Pick from 101 faces, flip clocks included (100 with the optional Lifetime unlock), and switch to a dim red face on true black at night. The same face follows you to StandBy, the Lock Screen, Home Screen widgets and Apple Watch, with a calendar that fits each face, an hourly chime and a simple alarm. Made for the desk, the shelf and the nightstand. Full screen time that stays readable from far away, in portrait or landscape, on iPhone and iPad. Keep Awake that understands charging. Stay on while charging, always on with a battery floor, or follow the system, so your clock never surprises you. Panel Care for OLED screens. Gentle pixel shifting, details that soften when idle, and a dim red night face on true black for the bedroom. One face everywhere. The face you pick appears on the full screen clock, StandBy, Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets and Apple Watch, and looks the same on every one. A calendar that suits each face. Choose Off, Simple with the date and weekday, or a full Month view separately for every face. Your language and your time zone. Switch the app language instantly, pick any city or time zone, and choose 12 or 24 hour time and your own digits. Private by design. No account, no ads, no tracking and no network. Everything stays on your device. A dock on the desk: your phone stays lit while it charges, showing the time in a face you chose. A bedroom at night: the screen dims to a quiet red clock on true black and saves your OLED panel. A day away from the desk: the same face sits on your Lock Screen, your Home Screen and your wrist. What Stay Clock does Full screen always-on clock with large, readable time One free face included, with a handwritten paper look Lifetime unlock adds 100 more faces in different colors, styles and fonts Off, Simple or Month calendar saved separately for each face StandBy, Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets that match the app Apple Watch face that follows the same design Keep Awake while charging, with battery floor and system options Night schedule, dim red face and pixel shifting for OLED screens Hourly chime and a simple alarm App language and time zone chosen inside the app iPhone and iPad layouts for every screen size Stay Clock is a free download with one complete face. One optional Lifetime purchase unlocks 100 more faces for good, with no subscription. Everything runs on your device. No account, no ads, no analytics and no tracking. Optimized for iPhone Duo.

About

Always on Display Clock

Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a stunning always-on clock. AOD Clock – StandBy fills your screen with live, animated backgrounds and a big, easy-to-read time, perfect for your nightstand while you charge, your desk while you work, or anywhere you want the time at a glance. LIVE ANIMATED BACKGROUNDS Every clock face sits on a smooth, moving backdrop, rendered live on your device: • Fluid Pastels – soft, drifting color that reacts to your touch • Gradient Grid – rich, flowing gradients • Eclipse – a glowing ring of light • Drifting Contours – slow-moving topographic lines • Paint Flow, Synthesis and more MAKE IT YOURS • Pick your own colors for every background • Adjust animation speed, from calm and slow to lively • Choose a layout: Wide Card, Center Stack, Bottom Row, Minimal, Glass Flip, Glass Ribbon or a classic Analog dial • Choose a font: System, Rounded, Serif or Monospaced • Choose a text style: Normal, Tinted, Liquid or Liquid Glass BUILT FOR ALWAYS-ON USE • Fullscreen clock view with no distractions • Keep Screen Awake option so your clock stays on • 12-hour or 24-hour time • Dark, low-glare design that's easy on the eyes at night HOW TO USE Pick a clock, customize it, and tap Preview Clock. Set your iPhone on a stand or charger, and you have an elegant bedside or desk clock that's always on. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account, no ads, no tracking. Your clocks and settings stay on your device.

Screenshots

Stay Clock4 screens
Always on Display Clock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Stay Clock at 18.0 against Always on Display Clock's 26.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Stay Clock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Always on Display Clock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stay Clock ships an update every 4 days, Always on Display Clock every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
Stay Clock versus Always on Display Clock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStay ClockAlways on Display Clock
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.1
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGuan Feng LaiAjul Raj

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Stay Clock

One-time1
  • Stay Clock Lifetime$4.99
1 purchases

Always on Display Clock

One-time1
  • AOD Clocks Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Stay Clock free?
Stay Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Always on Display Clock free?
Always on Display Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Stay Clock or Always on Display Clock have ads?
Neither Stay Clock nor Always on Display Clock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stay Clock or Always on Display Clock?
Stay Clock ships an update every 4 days, and Always on Display Clock every 2 days. Most recently, Stay Clock was updated on November 6, 2026 and Always on Display Clock on November 6, 2026.

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