# Sand Timer vs Time’s Up!

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Time’s Up! at 84% against Sand Timer's 6%. Time’s Up! also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sand Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Time’s Up! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Time’s Up! holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 150 and 435 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 6% of Sand Timer's written reviews are positive against 84% of Time’s Up!'s.

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Time’s Up! every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sand Timer | Time’s Up! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (150 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-timer-countdown-clock/id1205335548/reviews) | **[4.6 (435 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/times-up-visual-timer/id1550456653/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 150 | **435** |
| Positive reviews | 6.5% of reviews | **84.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vicki Partridge](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114861973) | [Overdesigned, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/914665832) |

## What reviewers say

### Sand Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-timer-countdown-clock/id1205335548)

This app provides a visually engaging and intuitive way to track time with realistic sand flow animations. It's perfect for various activities like studying, workouts, or cooking, offering customizable themes and sound alerts to keep you on track.

**Highlights:** Realistic sand flow animation, Adjustable timer settings, Multiple timers management, Customizable themes, Sound alerts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Time’s Up!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/times-up-visual-timer/id1550456653)

This app offers a fun and engaging way to track time with visually appealing countdowns. It's perfect for managing tasks, study sessions, or bedtime routines for both children and adults. Choose from unique visual styles or traditional clocks, and customize alerts for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Visual countdown styles (Reveal, Pixelate, Puzzle), Customizable alert sounds and colors, iCloud timer syncing across devices, Live Activities for Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, Guided Access for child lock, AirPlay and tvOS support for TV display, Minute-by-minute audio updates

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time’s Up! Unlimited | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps with time blindness
- 👍 Simple and intuitive UI
- 👍 Customizable timer settings
- 👍 Useful for ADHD and autism
- 👍 Great for classrooms and kids

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🔒 Paywall after limited free usage
- 🔒 Lack of flexibility in timer settings
- 🔒 Cannot move timer window freely

**Reported bugs**

- Hotkey functionality broken after update
- Timer not working after app update
- No sound at the end of timer

**Requested features**

- Allow longer timer durations
- Add ability to set multiple timers
- Improve customization options
- Provide more sound/alert options
- Add child-proof timer lock feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sand Timer free?

Sand Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Time’s Up! free?

Time’s Up! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sand Timer or Time’s Up!?

Time’s Up! is rated higher. Sand Timer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while Time’s Up! averages 4.6 from 435 ratings.

### Do Sand Timer or Time’s Up! have ads?

Sand Timer shows ads; Time’s Up! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sand Timer or Time’s Up!?

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Time’s Up! every 6 weeks. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on September 30, 2026 and Time’s Up! on September 27, 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.*