# Whistle Timer vs Referee Tools

The clearest difference is rating: Whistle Timer at 4.4 against Referee Tools's 3.8. Whistle Timer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (99 vs 4). Referee Tools's advantage is review sentiment (70% vs 29%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Whistle Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Referee Tools sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Whistle Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Whistle Timer has 99 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Whistle Timer's written reviews are positive against 70% of Referee Tools's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Whistle Timer ships an update every 10 months, Referee Tools every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whistle Timer | Referee Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (99 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whistle-timer/id1279336519/reviews)** | [3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referee-tools/id1624421256/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **99** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applorium Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688522804) | [NAOYA ONO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530328146) |

## What reviewers say

### Whistle Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whistle-timer/id1279336519)

Create custom workout schedules with customizable work and break intervals. Save your training plans for future use and focus on your fitness goals. The app can run in the background to keep your workout on track.

**Highlights:** Customizable workout schedules, Add custom breaks, Save training plans, Background operation, Whistle sound option

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all settings | $2.99 | one-time |


### Referee Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referee-tools/id1624421256)

This app provides essential tools for referees, including a timer, whistle sounds, and penalty card displays. It supports various sports like soccer and rugby, with customizable options for countdowns, count-ups, and card colors.

**Highlights:** Adjustable timer (countdown/count up), Multiple whistle sounds, Full-screen penalty card display, Customizable card colors, Sound alerts for countdown timer

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whistle Timer free?

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

### Is Referee Tools free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Whistle Timer or Referee Tools?

Whistle Timer is rated higher. Whistle Timer averages 4.4 out of 5 from 99 ratings, while Referee Tools averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Whistle Timer or Referee Tools have ads?

Referee Tools shows ads; Whistle Timer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Whistle Timer or Referee Tools?

Whistle Timer ships an update every 10 months, and Referee Tools every 6 months. Most recently, Whistle Timer was updated on September 15, 2026 and Referee Tools on October 7, 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.*