# Creative Timer vs Boat Gateway

The clearest difference is update cadence: Boat Gateway at every 11 days against Creative Timer's every 8 months. Boat Gateway also leads on iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Creative Timer ships an update every 8 months, Boat Gateway every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Creative Timer | Boat Gateway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonathan Diehl](https://appshunter.io/developer/923712924) | [Li-Ren Lin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496932009) |

## What reviewers say

### Creative Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/creative-timer/id1097954284)

Design custom timer sequences for various activities like sports, workouts, or workshops. Save unlimited timers with multiple steps and configure audio cues or voice announcements for each stage. The app runs in the background and offers sharing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Create and save unlimited custom timers, Multi-step timers with varying durations, Audio cues and voice announcements, Background operation with notifications, Timer sharing with friends, Pre-set timers for common activities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Boat Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-gateway/id1496932010)

This utility app simulates boat navigation data for testing purposes. It allows users to download and play recorded scenarios, offering a hands-on experience with boat control features like autopilot.

**Highlights:** Simulation of boat navigation signals, Downloadable historical log data, Demo cases for testing scenarios, Autopilot control simulation, Compass instrument integration, Wi-Fi connection check

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Creative Timer free?

Creative Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Boat Gateway free?

Boat Gateway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Creative Timer or Boat Gateway have ads?

Neither Creative Timer nor Boat Gateway shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Creative Timer or Boat Gateway?

Creative Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Boat Gateway every 11 days. Most recently, Creative Timer was updated on September 30, 2026 and Boat Gateway on September 8, 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.*