# Board Game Timer vs Istanbul

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Board Game Timer | Istanbul |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.79 |
| Rating | [4.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-game-timer/id1059796958/reviews) | **[4.7 (458 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **458** |
| Positive reviews | **85.2% of reviews** | 72.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#124** |
| Size | 124 MB | 451 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sublab Games ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1059796957) | [Acram Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536417257) |

## What reviewers say

### Board Game Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-game-timer/id1059796958)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customization | $5.99 | one-time |


### Istanbul

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606)

**Currently charting:** #124 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mocha & Baksheesh | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great digital implementation
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🕹️ Smooth gameplay
- 🤖 Challenging AI opponents
- 🕹️ Well-designed user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs with specific cards/tiles (e.g. 'sell any goods', mosque tile costs)
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes, especially on older devices
- 🐛 Issues with online/multiplayer functionality
- 🔋 Battery drain on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*