# Sand Timer vs Hourglass

The clearest difference is rating: Hourglass at 4.6 against Sand Timer's 3.8. Hourglass also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (30% vs 6%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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 Hourglass sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hourglass holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 150 and 216 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 6% of Sand Timer's written reviews are positive against 30% of Hourglass's.

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Hourglass weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sand Timer | Hourglass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (150 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-timer-countdown-clock/id1205335548/reviews) | **[4.6 (216 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourglass-simple-timer/id6449443481/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 150 | **216** |
| Positive reviews | 6.5% of reviews | **30.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vicki Partridge](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114861973) | [Focaccia, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689143851) |

## 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 |


### Hourglass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourglass-simple-timer/id6449443481)

This app offers a simple and user-friendly hourglass experience. Set your desired time, pause it as needed, and enjoy the soothing visual of falling sand. It's designed for moments of calm and focused time management.

**Highlights:** User-friendly hourglass interface, Set custom timer durations, Pause and resume timer, Soothing falling sand animation, Comforting visual experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Hourglass Timer Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sand Timer free?

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

### Is Hourglass free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sand Timer or Hourglass?

Hourglass is rated higher. Sand Timer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while Hourglass averages 4.6 from 216 ratings.

### Do Sand Timer or Hourglass have ads?

Both Sand Timer and Hourglass show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sand Timer or Hourglass?

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Hourglass weekly. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on September 22, 2026 and Hourglass on September 19, 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.*