Comparison

Sand Timer vs Chess Timer

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 Timer

This app provides precise time management for chess players, offering various time controls and dual-player tracking. It helps players train for tournaments, sharpen skills, and ensures fair gameplay with customizable settings and low-time alerts.

Highlights
  • Accurate time controls
  • Dual player time tracking
  • Multiple time formats
  • Customizable time settings
  • Low time alert
  • User-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

Chess Timer - Clock is the perfect tool for chess players who need precise and reliable time management. Whether you're playing casual games or preparing for competitive tournaments, this app ensures fair and structured gameplay by enforcing time controls for both players. Key Features: Accurate Time Controls: Manage your game time with precision. Select from popular time formats like Bullet, Blitz, Rapid, or set custom time controls to fit your preferred game style. Dual Player Time Tracking: With Chess Timer - Clock, each player’s time is tracked independently, ensuring fair play. With a simple tap, players alternate turns while their respective timers keep the game moving efficiently. Multiple Time Formats: The app offers a variety of standard time controls including Lightning (1 minute), Bullet (2 minutes), Blitz (3-5 minutes), Rapid (10-30 minutes), and Active formats. You can also create custom time settings for unique match configurations. Low Time Alert: The low-time alarm notifies you when your time is about to run out, helping you make quick decisions during the most critical moments of your game. Simple and User-Friendly: The app’s intuitive design allows players to focus on their game while effortlessly managing the time. Easy-to-use features make Chess Timer - Clock suitable for both casual players and professionals. Why Choose Chess Timer - Clock? Train for tournaments by using real-world time controls. Sharpen your skills in fast-paced Bullet or Blitz games. Customize time controls for casual matches or training sessions. Whether you are just learning chess or are a seasoned pro, Chess Timer - Clock is the ultimate tool for ensuring fair play, improving your time management, and enhancing the competitive experience of every game. Chess Timer - Clock app is free. You can use it forever, at no cost. However, Chess Timer - Clock does offer premium features for its subscribers. If you decide to purchase an upgrade, you will unlock additional features. Terms of Use: https://kociapp.github.io/Chess-Timer/term-of-use Privacy Policy: https://kociapp.github.io/Chess-Timer/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Sand Timer4 screens
Chess Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Timer at 76% against Sand Timer's 6%. Chess Timer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months). Sand Timer's advantage is ratings volume (150 vs 8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess Timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sand Timer has 150 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 6% of Sand Timer's written reviews are positive against 76% of Chess Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Chess Timer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sand Timer versus Chess Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSand TimerChess Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (150 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews6.5% of reviews76.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings150 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVicki PartridgeAndy Sutanto

Customer experience

Sand Timer

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

Chess Timer

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral23.5%
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
3 purchases

Chess Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Chess Clock Pro - 1W$0.997 Days
  • Chess Alarm Pro - 1Y$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Chess Timer Pro$19.99

Questions

Is Sand Timer free?
Sand Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Timer free?
Chess Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sand Timer or Chess Timer?
Chess Timer is rated higher. Sand Timer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while Chess Timer averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do Sand Timer or Chess Timer have ads?
Both Sand Timer and Chess Timer show ads.
Which is updated more often, Sand Timer or Chess Timer?
Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Chess Timer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on October 13, 2026 and Chess Timer on October 8, 2026.

Other comparisons