# Sand Timer vs Real Hourglass

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Real Hourglass at 100% against Sand Timer's 6%. Real Hourglass also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months). Sand Timer's advantage is ratings volume (150 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 Real Hourglass sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Real Hourglass 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 1, 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 100% of Real Hourglass's.

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Real Hourglass weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sand Timer | Real Hourglass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (150 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-timer-countdown-clock/id1205335548/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-hourglass/id6758259094/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **150** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 6.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vicki Partridge](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114861973) | [akira ohmachi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1338624340) |

## 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 |


### Real Hourglass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-hourglass/id6758259094)

A minimalist sand timer app that offers a realistic hourglass animation for focus, relaxation, and time management. It's designed to provide a distraction-free experience for various daily activities.

**Highlights:** Realistic hourglass animation, Intuitive interface, Focus sessions, Meditation aid, Daily routine timer, Distraction-free design

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sand Timer free?

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

### Is Real Hourglass free?

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

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

Real Hourglass is rated higher. Sand Timer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while Real Hourglass averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Sand Timer or Real Hourglass have ads?

Both Sand Timer and Real Hourglass show ads.

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

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Real Hourglass weekly. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on October 26, 2026 and Real Hourglass on October 20, 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.*