Comparison

Board Game Timer vs Istanbul

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

Head to head
About

Board Game Timer

This app helps keep board games moving by timing players. It offers countdown, count-up, and time-per-turn modes for up to eight players. Customize player names and pawns to match your game, and use the built-in dice to select a starting player.

Highlights
  • Multiple timing modes (count up, count down, time per turn)
  • Supports up to 8 players
  • Customizable player names and pawns
  • Integrated dice for random player selection
  • Official timer for German Board Game Championship
Features
Read full description

When heavy thinking stalls your board game, let Board Game Timer call out those snail's pacing players and give them a friendly nudge. Keeps track of up to 8 players in 3 modes: Count up - simply count up each player's time, no stress! - or - Count down - set a time limit for each player - or - Time per turn - set a maximum time per turn. Customize, name and rearrange your pawns to match your board game setup. And it has a dice to pick a random starting player too! Official timer for the German Board Game Championship for Teams: https://www.dmmib.de/

About

Istanbul

Compete as a merchant to collect rubies by trading goods and managing assistants across a bustling bazaar. Strategically move your merchant and assistants through various locations, each offering unique actions. Plan your moves carefully to outmaneuver opponents and achieve victory in this acclaimed board game adaptation.

Highlights
  • Collect rubies by trading goods
  • Manage merchant and assistants
  • Explore 16 bazaar locations
  • Increase wheelbarrow capacity
  • Acquire special abilities
  • Play against AI or friends
  • Cross-platform online multiplayer
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The official digital adaptation of one of the best board games in history – Istanbul. Istanbul is, without a doubt, one of the best board games to have ever been published. The long list of its awards and honors speaks for itself: 2015 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Best Expert Game Nominee 2014 Swiss Gamers Award Winner 2014 Meeples' Choice Nominee 2014 Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner 2014 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee 2014 Hra roku Nominee 2014 Gouden Ludo Winner 2014 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Nominee 2014 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Nominee 2014 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee In our 2018 digital version we have maintained all of the features that made Istanbul the fan favorite that it is, but also expanded upon it with a number of tools and features only available on the digital platform. We maintained the authentic board game feeling with the convenience you can expect from an electronic device. So what is the game about? Can you be the first merchant to collect a certain number of rubies? • Run, collect and trade goods across the bazaar • Take control over your assistants • Increase your wheelbarrow capacity • Acquire special abilities to increase the advantage over your competitors • Buy rubies or trade goods for them In Istanbul, you lead a group of one merchant and his four assistants through 16 locations in the bazaar. In each such a location, you can carry out a specific action. The challenge, however, is that to take an action, you must move your merchant and an assistant there, then leave the assistant behind to handle all the details while you focus on larger matters. If you want to use that assistant again later, your merchant must return to that location to pick him up. Thus, you must plan ahead carefully to avoid being left with no assistants and thus unable to do anything… What can you expect? • Official Istanbul game - 100% original rules • Adaptation of TOP 100 board game of all time by BGG ranking • Play with AI, with friends or both • Great artwork by Andreas Resch • Languages: English, German, Dutch, Polish, French, Korean, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, Spanish • Pass and play mode • Cross-platform online multiplayer with synchronous and asynchronous modes • Opponents' last moves replay • 3 levels of difficulty AIs with individual strategies • Preset or random generated game boards • Atmospheric music and sounds • Unique, original board game experience • Intuitive gameplay • Colorblind mode • Over 70 achievements • iPhone X support

Screenshots

Board Game Timer4 screens
Istanbul4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Board Game Timer at Free against Istanbul's $2.79. Board Game Timer also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 73%). Istanbul's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (458 vs 18). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Board Game Timer is free to download; Istanbul costs $2.79 up front. Board Game Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Istanbul sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Board Game Timer against 4.7 for Istanbul. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Istanbul has 458 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Board Game Timer's written reviews are positive against 73% of Istanbul's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Board Game Timer ships an update every 13 months, Istanbul every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Board Game Timer versus Istanbul: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoard Game TimerIstanbul
PriceFree — better$2.79
Rating4.7 (18 ratings)4.7 (458 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.2% of reviews — better72.8% of reviews
Number of ratings18458 — better
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#80 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size124 MB451 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSublab Games ApSAcram Digital

Customer experience

Board Game Timer

All ratings18 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral5.6%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive85.2%
Neutral7.4%
Negative7.4%

Istanbul

All ratings452 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews151 reviews
Positive72.8%
Neutral9.3%
Negative17.9%

Bugs and requests

Board Game Timer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Istanbul

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Certain cards/tiles not working as intended
  • Game crashing or freezing during play
  • Online/multiplayer functionality issues
  • Tutorial getting stuck or not working properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add the Mocha & Baksheesh and Letters & Seals expansions
  • Implement a companion tool to randomize the board setup
  • Add push notifications for online game turns
  • Support for more languages

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Board Game Timer

One-time1
  • Customization$5.99
1 purchases

Istanbul

One-time1
  • Mocha & Baksheesh$5.99

Questions

Is Board Game Timer free?
Board Game Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Istanbul free?
Istanbul costs $2.79, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Board Game Timer or Istanbul?
Istanbul is rated higher. Board Game Timer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Istanbul averages 4.7 from 458 ratings.
Do Board Game Timer or Istanbul have ads?
Neither Board Game Timer nor Istanbul shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Board Game Timer or Istanbul?
Board Game Timer ships an update every 13 months, and Istanbul every 6 weeks. Most recently, Board Game Timer was updated on October 23, 2026 and Istanbul on October 29, 2026.

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