Comparison

Sand Timer vs Hourglass

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

Hourglass

Read full description

See time flow through a 3D hourglass that moves with your iPhone. Hourglass brings golden sand, glass reflections, and a little room to pause to your day. Set aside time for reading, studying, working, or a quiet break, and watch each moment take shape. • Choose 1 to 60 minutes Set your own duration or start with a 5, 15, 25, 45, or 60-minute preset. Pause and resume whenever you need. • Sand that follows your tilt Tilt your iPhone to change the sand surface, falling direction, and flow speed. Turn it sideways or lay it flat to stop the flow. • Turn it over, let it flow again The sand that has collected becomes your new remaining time. If 4 minutes of a 10-minute hourglass have passed, turning it over leaves 4 minutes. Text and controls also rotate when you hold your iPhone upside down. • Desk mode for a steady countdown Want to leave your phone flat on a table? Switch to desk mode. Sand flows at its normal speed at any angle, and you can still flip the hourglass with the on-screen button. • A closer look Expand the hourglass to enjoy the golden particles and flowing sand, with start, pause, and flip controls close at hand. • Make it yours Choose whether to keep the screen awake, play a completion chime, or receive a notification while the screen is locked. Hourglass supports Korean and English, follows your iPhone language automatically, and lets you choose either language in the app. No account, ads, or internet connection needed. Preferences, hourglass progress, and completed-session counts are stored on your device. The displayed remaining time assumes normal flow speed. Tilting can make completion take longer. Away from the app, time continues at the last direction and flow rate; motion is not tracked in the background. Use desk mode for a steady countdown. Completion notifications depend on your notification permission and iPhone settings.

Screenshots

Sand Timer4 screens
Hourglass4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hourglass at none against Sand Timer's 4. Hourglass also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Hourglass asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, Hourglass every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Sand Timer versus Hourglass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSand TimerHourglass
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (150 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews6.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings150 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVicki Partridgedevbylabs

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
None

Hourglass

No in-app purchases

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?
Sand Timer shows ads; Hourglass does not.
Which is updated more often, Sand Timer or Hourglass?
Sand Timer ships an update every 8 months, and Hourglass every 2 months. Most recently, Sand Timer was updated on November 2, 2026 and Hourglass on October 31, 2026.

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