Comparison

AppLights vs Pocket Cowbell

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

Head to head
About

AppLights

Create and control stunning holiday light displays directly from your smartphone. This app offers a wide range of effects, colors, and themes for both indoor and outdoor decorating, making custom holiday lighting easy to manage.

Highlights
  • Smartphone control
  • Dozens of effects and colors
  • Multiple holiday themes
  • Customizable color options
  • Easy setup and management
  • Indoor and outdoor use
Features
Read full description

Put on a dazzling holiday light display–and control it all from your smartphone. The AppLights® app works exclusively with AppLights® holiday lighting products to control dozens of effects and colors directly from your smartphone. It’s super easy to set up and manage. Choose from multiple holiday themes, lighting technologies and color options for each lighting product. Perfect for outdoor or indoor holiday decorating, AppLights® delivers the latest in holiday decorating technology for a custom look that’s a breeze to manage.

About

Pocket Cowbell

This digital noisemaker lets you shake your device to create a cowbell sound. Compete globally on leaderboards, customize your cowbell's look and sound, and track your ringing stats. An optional PRO upgrade offers an ad-free experience and exclusive content.

Highlights
  • Shake to ring cowbell sound
  • Global leaderboards for competition
  • Variety of unique cowbell designs
  • Custom cowbell creation tools
  • Multiple ringing sound options
  • Detailed ringing statistics tracking
Features
Read full description

Ring, Compete, and Customize with Pocket Cowbell - Your Ultimate Digital Noisemaker! Shake your device to ring the bell, cheer on your favorite teams, and dive into a world of fun with Pocket Cowbell! This isn't just any noise app - it's a fully customizable, interactive experience that brings the classic cowbell into the digital age, ready for any event where you need to make some noise. Key Features: • Shake to Ring: Use your device's motion to create that iconic cowbell sound • Global Leaderboards: Compete worldwide and ring your way to the top! • Unique Cowbells: Choose from a variety of cowbell designs, each with its own look and sound • Custom Creation: Design your own cowbell with different shapes, colors, and tones • Sound Variety: Select from multiple ringing sounds or record your own for a truly personal touch • Detailed Stats: Track your ringing prowess with session, daily, and lifetime ring counts Upgrade to PRO for an enhanced experience: • Ad-Free Ringing: Enjoy uninterrupted cowbell action • Exclusive Cowbells and Sounds: Access a wider range of customization options • Auto-Ring Feature: Let your device do the ringing for you Whether you're a sports fan, attending a concert, or just looking for a fun way to make some noise, Pocket Cowbell is the perfect app for all occasions. Download now and start ringing your way to the top of the leaderboards!

Screenshots

AppLights4 screens
Pocket Cowbell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pocket Cowbell at 4.4 against AppLights's 3.7. Pocket Cowbell also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 29%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). AppLights's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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. Pocket Cowbell sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AppLights asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pocket Cowbell holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 31 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of AppLights's written reviews are positive against 64% of Pocket Cowbell's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AppLights ships an update every 2 months, Pocket Cowbell every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
AppLights versus Pocket Cowbell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAppLightsPocket Cowbell
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (9 ratings)4.4 (31 ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.4% of reviews63.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings931 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB98 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGemmy Industries CorporationJesse Hollingsworth

Customer experience

AppLights

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews143 reviews
Positive29.4%
Neutral8.4%
Negative62.2%

Pocket Cowbell

All ratings31 ratings
Positive83.9%
Neutral3.2%
Negative12.9%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative27.3%

Bugs and requests

AppLights

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Lights not responding to app commands
  • Lights stuck in demo/default mode
  • Bluetooth connectivity problems
  • Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Custom color/pattern creation
  • Ability to sync multiple strings
  • Timer/scheduling functionality
  • More lighting effects/modes
  • Improved app UI/UX

Pocket Cowbell

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

AppLights

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Pocket Cowbell

One-time1
  • Pocket Cowbell PRO$1.99

Questions

Is AppLights free?
AppLights is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pocket Cowbell free?
Pocket Cowbell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AppLights or Pocket Cowbell?
Pocket Cowbell is rated higher. AppLights averages 3.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Pocket Cowbell averages 4.4 from 31 ratings.
Do AppLights or Pocket Cowbell have ads?
Pocket Cowbell shows ads; AppLights does not.
Which is updated more often, AppLights or Pocket Cowbell?
AppLights ships an update every 2 months, and Pocket Cowbell every 3 weeks. Most recently, AppLights was updated on October 22, 2026 and Pocket Cowbell on October 30, 2026.

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