# Sand Timer vs Hourglass

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hourglass at none against Sand Timer's 4. Hourglass also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 8 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sand Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Hourglass asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Hourglass every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 15, 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)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **150** | — |
| Positive reviews | 6.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vicki Partridge](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114861973) | [kenji abe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1461779902) |

## 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-physics-simulation/id6670490622)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## 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 no in-app purchases.

### 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 every 4 days. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on October 11, 2026 and Hourglass on September 15, 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.*