# On the Cushion — Meditation Timer with Chimes > Minimalist meditation timer with customizable sounds and visual progress. (iPhone/iPad app by Duncan Kerr.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/on-the-cushion/id6821530228 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Duncan Kerr](https://appshunter.io/developer/6821530230) - Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 18.0 · 8 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-10-28 - Data updated: 2026-11-06 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/on-the-cushion/id6821530228/reviews.md ## What is On the Cushion? On the Cushion is a meditation timer made to stay out of the way. Set how long you'll sit, take a few seconds to settle in, and begin. A brushed ensō circle draws itself slowly as the time passes. When the sit is over, the end chime rings and fades into silence so gradually you can't hear where it stops. EVERYTHING ON ONE SCREEN Turn the minutes inside the circle. Tap a sound on Start, During or End to hear it and choose another. Tap the strikes to change how many. When you're ready, tap begin, and the screen falls away to just the circle and the time. WIDGETS Put your presets on the Home Screen. Choose one, and a tap opens it, ready to begin. Small, medium and large on iPhone, and extra large on iPad. BELLS, BOWLS AND GONGS Choose from six sounds, each designed to ring out naturally and fade without an audible end: • Deep Bowl: a large singing bowl with a slow, deep "wah" • Temple Bowl: the classic singing-bowl sound • Bronze Bell: a small bronze hand bell • Bright Bell: a clear, high rin • Temple Gong: a pitched gong with a soft, swelling strike • Tingsha: Tibetan hand cymbals with a bright shimmer THREE CHIMES, YOUR WAY • Start: a chime to open the sit • During: chimes at regular intervals or at random moments to bring you back to the present, or no chimes at all • End: one, two or three strikes to close Each sound is balanced to ring about as loud as the others. TIMES • 1 to 60 minutes, or open-ended: sit until you choose to finish • Up to a minute to settle in before the start chime • Random chimes are always spaced apart and kept clear of the start and end ON THE LOCK SCREEN Lock your phone or iPad whenever you like. The sit carries on, the chimes still ring, and the lock screen shows the time, the brushstroke as it draws, and a pause button. When the screen dims, the time steps aside and leaves just the brushstroke. PRESETS Begin with four: Morning sit, Taking five, Daily sit and Open sit. Add your own, up to twelve in all, and switch between them with a tap. Rename, delete or reorder them in one place. CALM BY DESIGN • Ink on paper: no streaks, no badges, no statistics • Pause with a tap anywhere on the screen • A quiet screen: tap an empty space to leave just the circle and begin • There are no accounts or ads, and nothing is tracked. ## Key features - Customizable start, during, and end chimes - Six natural sound options (bells, bowls, gongs) - Visual progress indicator (drawing ensō circle) - Adjustable sit duration (1-60 minutes or open-ended) - Home screen widgets for quick access - Lock screen integration - Customizable presets (up to 12) ## Is On the Cushion safe? Not enough ratings yet to assess On the Cushion. ## Is On the Cushion legit? On the Cushion has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for On the Cushion is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (3 of 3) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/on-the-cushion/id6821530228/reviews.md ### 5/5 — A great mindfulness timer! *2026-11-04* The design is spacious and beautiful and the interface is intuitive and easy to use. And I really enjoy the sound quality of the bells, rich and full. I like it better than Insight Timer. ### 5/5 — GREAT APP! *2026-10-29* This app may be simple but it’s great for meditation! It’s so much better than setting a timer or anything. Also, this review is not AI generated!!!!!! I’m actually a human who likes the app!!!!! ### 5/5 — useful simple *2026-10-29* got me on the cushion ## Frequently asked questions about On the Cushion ### What sounds can I use with On the Cushion? On the Cushion offers six distinct sounds designed to ring naturally and fade seamlessly. These include a Deep Bowl, Temple Bowl, Bronze Bell, Bright Bell, Temple Gong, and Tingsha. ### Can I customize the chimes during my meditation session? Yes, you can set chimes to occur at the start, during, or end of your session. For 'during' chimes, you can choose regular intervals, random moments, or no chimes at all. ### How long can I meditate with On the Cushion? You can set your meditation duration from 1 to 60 minutes, or choose an open-ended option to sit until you decide to finish. There's also an option for up to a minute to settle in before the start chime. ### Does On the Cushion have ads? No, On the Cushion is ad-free. The app is designed to be a calm and unobtrusive tool, with no accounts or tracking. ### What devices does On the Cushion support? On the Cushion is available for iPhone and iPad. It offers different widget sizes for both platforms, including extra large for iPad. ### Can I save my preferred meditation settings? Yes, On the Cushion allows you to create and save presets for your meditation sessions. You can set up to twelve presets, which can be renamed, deleted, or reordered. ### Is On the Cushion suitable for beginners? The app's minimalist design and straightforward functionality make it accessible for beginners. It focuses on core timer features without overwhelming users with complex options. ### How often is On the Cushion updated? The app was last updated on November 3, 2026, with version 1.05. This indicates a commitment to ongoing development and improvements. ## Version history (last 3 releases) ### 1.05 — 2026-11-03 A calmer, simpler On the Cushion: everything set from one screen, Home Screen widgets, and careful refinement throughout. • One screen for everything. Tap the minutes in the circle and turn the numbers. Tap a sound on Start, During or End to hear it and choose another. Tap the strikes to change how many. • Chimes during the sit are set from a small card: random or regular, and how many, on a turning wheel. • Home Screen widgets. Choose a preset and tap to open it, ready to begin. In four sizes, the largest for iPad. • Your sit on the lock screen. Lock your phone or iPad and the time, the slowly drawn brushstroke and a pause button stay on the lock screen, and the chimes still ring. • A quieter sit. Tap anywhere to pause; end appears only while paused. When the time is up, the circle rests, "finished" appears, and the home screen returns on its own. • A quiet home. Tap an empty part of the screen to leave just the circle and begin. • Simpler presets: tap one to use it, or tap edit list to rename, delete or reorder. Room for twelve. • New users start with four presets: Morning sit, Taking five, Daily sit and Open sit. • Gentle haptic taps as you turn the wheels, change the strikes, choose a sound or pause. • Refreshed Guide and About pages. • Finer details and smoother animations. ### 1.04 — 2026-11-02 A calmer, simpler On the Cushion, with everything set from one screen. • One screen for everything. Tap the minutes in the circle and turn the numbers. Tap a sound on Start, During or End to hear it and choose another. Tap the strikes to change how many. • Chimes during the sit are set from a small card: random or regular, and how many, on a turning wheel. • Your sit on the lock screen. Lock your phone or iPad and the time, the slowly drawn brushstroke and a pause button stay on the lock screen, and the bells still ring. • A quieter sit. Tap anywhere to pause; end appears only while paused. When the time is up, the circle rests, "finished" appears, and the home screen returns on its own. • A quiet home. Tap an empty part of the screen to leave just the circle and begin. • Presets are simpler: tap to load, rename or delete, room for twelve. • New starting sounds: Deep Bowl to begin, Temple Bowl during, and Temple Gong, struck twice, to end. • Gentler animations and fades throughout, and many small fixes. ### 1.01 — 2026-10-29 No release notes. ## Related topics [the mindfulness meditation app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-mindfulness-meditation-app) --- *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 2026-11-06.*