Comparison

A Word Clock vs Strange Clocks

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

Head to head
About

A Word Clock

This utility displays the current time using natural language phrases instead of digits. It offers spoken output, multiple language options, and customizable themes. A widget is also available for quick glances, maintaining your chosen settings.

Highlights
  • Time displayed in words
  • Optional spoken output
  • Multiple language support
  • Customizable color themes
  • Widget support
  • "Lazy time" phrasing
Features
Read full description

Read the time as words, at a glance. Swipe between a large word clock, digital and analog clocks, date and optional location details, a comparison of relaxed and exact time, and a past–present–future timeline. Choose from expressive themes and high-contrast color palettes. Adjust text size, switch between approximate and exact wording, and tap the clock to hear the time spoken aloud. Time phrases are available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. Add the Home Screen widget to see the time in words without opening the app. Your language and appearance settings carry over to the widget. Location is optional and used only for the details view.

About

Strange Clocks

Features
Read full description

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

A Word Clock4 screens
Strange Clocks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Strange Clocks at Free against A Word Clock's $0.99. Strange Clocks also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 months). A Word Clock's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

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

Strange Clocks is free to download; A Word Clock costs $0.99 up front. Strange Clocks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. A Word Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

A Word Clock ships an update every 6 months, Strange Clocks every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 5 level
A Word Clock versus Strange Clocks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterA Word ClockStrange Clocks
Price$0.99Free β€” better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 3 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
MonetizationPaidβ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size6 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRaymund VorwerkKIP Networks

In-app purchases

None

A Word Clock

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Strange Clocks

One-time1
  • Unlock all 15 clocks$1.99

Questions

Is A Word Clock free?
A Word Clock costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Strange Clocks free?
Strange Clocks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do A Word Clock or Strange Clocks have ads?
Neither A Word Clock nor Strange Clocks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, A Word Clock or Strange Clocks?
A Word Clock ships an update every 6 months, and Strange Clocks every 3 days. Most recently, A Word Clock was updated on November 11, 2026 and Strange Clocks on November 10, 2026.

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