Comparison

Sand Timer vs Chess Clock

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

Head to head
About

Sand Timer

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
Read full description

Looking for a simple, reliable timer for your activities? Whether you’re timing a study session, a workout, or simply need a quick way to track time, Sand Timer has you covered! With its realistic sand flow animation, you’ll experience the soothing and intuitive feel of a traditional hourglass, right on your phone. Sand Timer offers a simple, visually engaging way to keep track of time, whether you’re managing your productivity, setting a cooking timer, or just need a quick countdown. It’s easy to set, fun to use, and helps you stay on track for all your timing needs. Top Features You’ll Love: Sand Animation – Watch the sand flow smoothly through the timer, providing a calming and visually pleasing experience while you track your time. Adjustable Timer Settings – Set the timer for any duration you need, from seconds to hours, with the ability to quickly adjust for all types of activities. Multiple Timers – Create and manage multiple timers at once to keep track of various tasks simultaneously. Customizable Themes – Choose from a variety of themes to match your style, whether you prefer a minimalist design or a more vibrant look. Sound Alerts – Get notified when your time is up with a sound alert, making sure you never miss an important moment. Who Can Use Sand Timer? Sand Timer is perfect for anyone who needs a simple, elegant timer. Whether you’re a student needing a Pomodoro timer, a cook timing recipes, or someone just needing a visual countdown, Sand Timer is easy to use and designed to fit your needs. Download Sand Timer today and add a little more calm and focus to your day! EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Chess Clock

This app provides a simple and quick way to compete with friends using a minimalistic design and easy controls. It offers various game modes, move counting, and automatic timer pausing. Enjoy pleasant sounds, haptic feedback, and customizable themes for an enhanced experience.

Highlights
  • Minimalistic design
  • Simple controls
  • Different game modes
  • Move counter
  • Automatic timer pause
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

Compete with your friends in an easy and quick way. Chess Clock has everything you need: – Minimalistic design and nice animations – Simple controls and easy-to-read buttons – Different game modes and opportunity to create new modes – Counter of play moves – Timer pauses automatically if the app is interrupted; you could manually pause the clock at any time – Pleasant sounds and haptic – Sound and vibration for low-time warning – Range of stylish themes The main functionality of Chess Clock is free, and it has no ads. If you want to support the app, you could buy premium themes pack.

Screenshots

Sand Timer4 screens
Chess Clock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Clock at 4.8 against Sand Timer's 3.8. Chess Clock also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 8 months). Sand Timer's advantage is ratings volume (150 vs 4). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

Both are free to download. Sand Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Chess Clock 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

Chess Clock holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sand Timer has 150 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Chess Clock every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sand Timer versus Chess Clock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSand TimerChess Clock
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (150 ratings)4.8 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews6.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings150 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVicki PartridgeOleksandr Kozlov

Customer experience

Sand Timer

All ratings150 ratings
Positive64.7%
Neutral8.7%
Negative26.7%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive6.5%
Neutral4.8%
Negative88.7%

Chess Clock

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Sand Timer

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Subscription7 Days trial$0.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99
1 purchases

Chess Clock

One-time1
  • Premium$0.99

Questions

Is Sand Timer free?
Sand Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Clock free?
Chess Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sand Timer or Chess Clock?
Chess Clock is rated higher. Sand Timer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while Chess Clock averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.
Do Sand Timer or Chess Clock have ads?
Sand Timer shows ads; Chess Clock does not.
Which is updated more often, Sand Timer or Chess Clock?
Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Chess Clock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on September 22, 2026 and Chess Clock on September 22, 2026.

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