# Best Sand Timer — Digital hourglass timer

> Digital hourglass timer with visual time flow and customizable alarms. (iPhone/iPad app by Serhii Simkovskyi.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-sand-timer/id501940934 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Serhii Simkovskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/959904647)
- Category: Utilities, Lifestyle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.20/5 from 19 App Store ratings · 149 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 38 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-04-04
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-sand-timer/id501940934/reviews.md

## What is Best Sand Timer?

Digital sand timer with artistic design. Time flows and does it stylishly. 

This digitized hourglass can be used to time anything for up to 60 minutes. It's like having a nice looking visual indicator of how much time is left on your task.

* KIDS FRIENDLY
Timer visualizes time to kids and lets them feel the time. Without reading or even knowing the numbers one can look at the visualized time flow, feel it and understand how long to wait or whether to hurry up.

* STAY NOTIFIED
It lets you set the alarm sound that will play when the timer is finished. You can choose from 16 unique alarm sounds, melodies and loops. You’ll be notified when your time is up even if you’re using another app or your device is locked. It can also repeat the sound alarm (up to 3 times) at the given interval if it was missed/snoozed.

* COLOR YOUR TIME
You can easily change the timer color to fit your personal lifestyle. There are 5 color themes: turquoise, red, green, amber and pink. Just pick the one you like in the application settings.

* UNIVERSAL APP
Timer works both on your iPhone/iPod and iPad, contains HD graphics for retina and iPad displays and supports all screen orientations for all devices. [+Retina graphics for iPad 3rd generation]

* SEE ALSO: Best Timer
Beautifully designed sand timer, stylish kitchen timer, countdown/up and powerful stopwatch All in one creatively combined Best Timer application to suit all your timing needs. Search "Best Timer" on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/app/best-timer/id415656570)

* There are plenty of things we really need to time, just do them the way you like!

***Important for iOS5+ devices: if there is no alarm played when the application is inactive please go to system Settings / Notifications, select the application name and configure the timer's alarms, whether they perform sound and if they're to appear on lock screen.

VISIT US: smartphoneware.com

## Key features

- Digital hourglass visualization
- Kid-friendly time perception
- Customizable alarm sounds (16 options)
- Notification even when inactive
- Color themes for timer customization
- Universal app for iPhone and iPad

## What do users think of Best Sand Timer?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Visually appealing sand timer
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Good for focus and visual timing
- 👍 Customizable colors
- 👍 Works well for kids and educational purposes
- 👍 Pleasant visual aesthetic
- 👍 Silent option available
- 👍 Operates with screen always on

**Cons**

- 🐛 No sound/alarm issues
- 🐛 Alignment and graphics issues
- 🐛 Maximum timer limit of 1 hour
- 🐛 Ads can be intrusive
- 🐛 App crashes/freezes
- 🐛 Not working on newer iPhones (e.g., iPhone XR)
- 🐛 Scroll wheel for setting time (vs. keypad)
- 🐛 Digital timer display can detract from visual

**Commonly reported bugs**

- No sound when timer reaches zero
- Sand not aligned with hourglass
- Graphics not aligned properly
- Buttons partially off screen
- App not configured for certain iPhone screens (e.g., XR)
- App freezes when trying to change timer
- Alarm fails to go off if other notifications occur
- Force closes when timer ends

**Most requested features**

- Display current time on screen
- Keypad for setting timer
- Option to hide digital timer
- Longer timer duration (beyond 1 hour)
- Vibrate function
- More sound options
- Sound control on screen
- Option to view timer when phone is locked
- Sound while sand is pouring
- Start timer by turning the iPad

## Recent user reviews (10 of 149)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-sand-timer/id501940934/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Really cool

*2025-04-20*

This is so satisfying I can use it during outside playing with reign and can use it as sleep timer and I can also use it for tasks and If you want to use it to,download best sand timer for free!

### 3/5 — Hi

*2023-11-09*

Is this app free?

### 1/5 — No sound

*2023-10-04*

Had this on my old phone it was great. Now I have iPhone 15 there is no sound when reaching time. No use without this. Have tried everything and it should work but doesn’t 
Please correct this as there is no other suitable timer

### 4/5 — Nice silent timer

*2023-09-19*

I like that the timer has a silent option and that it operates with the screen always on. It would be perfect in my mind if the current time was also displayed on the screen. I would also prefer a keypad for setting the timer rather than the scroll but that’s not as big a deal to me as wanted to keep track of the actual time while using this lovely timer.

### 1/5 — Funktioniert Leider Nicht

*2023-08-25*

Dachte Cooler Timer aber nur Schrott 
So läuft es ja optimal aber leider kein Ton wenn die Zeit um ist sehr ärgerlich ich möchte für das Upgrade mein Geld zurück

### 3/5 — 惜しい！

*2022-08-07*

時間の最高が60分なので120分に増やせないのが惜しい！

### 2/5 — Looks nice but no sound

*2022-06-27*

The alarm doesn’t play at the end of the time, which defeats the object of the app completely.

### 1/5 — 广告取消不了

*2022-06-07*

给孩子用的。底部广告取消不了，反而让孩子看着广告动画分心，得不偿失。

### 4/5 — "Best" Sand Timer

*2022-06-02*

Actually works and (shockingly) the app that most resembles a sand timer. Pointless max of 60 minutes time is the only real drawback. I wanted a realistic looking sand timer but this is the best the App Store has to offer.

### 5/5 — This app dose what it say

*2021-12-12*

I uses this app for as a visual time to help keep me focused. It works great even better with some of the new focus modes from iOS 15

## Frequently asked questions about Best Sand Timer

### What does the Best Sand Timer app do?

This app functions as a digital sand timer, offering a visual representation of time passing, similar to a traditional hourglass. It can be used to time various activities for up to 60 minutes, providing a stylish and intuitive way to track remaining time.

### How does the app help children understand time?

The app is designed to be kid-friendly by visualizing time flow. Children can observe the sand moving without needing to read numbers, helping them intuitively grasp how much time is left for an activity or how long they need to wait.

### Can I customize the timer's appearance and sounds?

Yes, you can personalize the timer's appearance by choosing from five different color themes: turquoise, red, green, amber, and pink. Additionally, you can select from 16 unique alarm sounds to be notified when the timer finishes.

### Will I be notified if I'm using another app or my device is locked?

The app provides notifications even when it's not actively in the foreground or when your device is locked. You can set an alarm sound to play when the timer is finished, and it can repeat the alarm up to three times if missed.

### Is this app compatible with all iOS devices?

The app is a universal application, meaning it works on both iPhone/iPod and iPad devices. It includes HD graphics for retina and iPad displays and supports all screen orientations for a consistent experience across devices.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.2.1 — 2020-02-24

Minor bug fixes and improvements

### 3.2 — 2020-02-18

- Fixed layout problems for latest iPhones
- iOS 13 support added

### 3.01 — 2018-02-07

Fullscreen support for iphoneX added
File size reduced
Minor fixes and improvements

### 1.07 — 2016-03-12

Bug fixes and stability improvements

### 1.06 — 2015-12-08

- The sound engine was remade. Sounds playing inside the app no longer depend on notification settings. This should fix sound problems.
- Support for iPad Pro added

## Apps similar to Best Sand Timer

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Repeat Timer: Interval Remind](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/repeat-timer-interval-remind/id481229967) | 4.5 (7,366) | Free | Utilities |
| [Timer+ Countdown & Stopwatch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-plus-countdown-and-stopwatch/id391564049) | 4.8 (40,751) | Free | Utilities |
| [Visual Multi Timer: Timus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visual-multi-timer-timus/id6461119151) | 4.7 (141) | Free | Utilities |
| [Sand Timer - Countdown Clock](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-timer-countdown-clock/id1205335548) | 3.8 (150) | Free | Utilities |
| [Repeat Timer App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/repeat-timer-app/id6462226291) | 3.5 (30) | Free | Utilities |
| [Timer ٞ](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer/id1078562105) | 4.4 (1,153) | Free | Utilities |

## More apps by Serhii Simkovskyi

- [Best Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-timer/id415656570)
- [Best Prompter Pro - teleprompter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-prompter-pro-teleprompter/id418419206)
- [Best Banner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-banner/id421817720)
- [Best Prompter - teleprompter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-prompter-teleprompter/id429145806)
- [Cybernarium](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cybernarium/id441915398)

All apps by Serhii Simkovskyi: https://appshunter.io/developer/959904647

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*