# Simple Meditation Timer vs Grid Diary

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple Meditation Timer at none against Grid Diary's 4. Simple Meditation Timer also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 48%) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.0). Grid Diary's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (963 vs 110). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Grid Diary sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Simple Meditation Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Grid Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grid Diary has 963 ratings behind it against 110, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Simple Meditation Timer's written reviews are positive against 48% of Grid Diary's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Simple Meditation Timer ships an update every 3 months, Grid Diary every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Meditation Timer | Grid Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-meditation-timer/id1318993458/reviews) | **[4.6 (963 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-diary-journal-planner/id1392523148/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 110 | **963** |
| Positive reviews | **81.0% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 2 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Never Can Tell](https://appshunter.io/developer/362288002) | [Sumi Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/597077264) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Meditation Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-meditation-timer/id1318993458)

A minimalist timer designed for meditation and restorative yoga. It offers a peaceful countdown experience with a gentle chime, free from distractions. Users can optionally log their sessions as Mindful Minutes in the Health app.

**Highlights:** Minimalist timer interface, Peaceful countdown, Zen bowl chime, No distractions, Record Mindful Minutes, Health App integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and minimalistic design
- 🧘‍♀️ Perfect for meditation practice
- ✨ Elegant and clean interface
- 🚫 No ads or upsells
- ✅ Does one thing and does it well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bell/gong doesn't always work
- 🔇 No sound when screen is off/phone locked
- 🔊 Volume too loud for headphones
- ⏳ Timer doesn't work reliably in background
- 🎛️ Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Bell/gong doesn't ring sometimes
- Timer doesn't work when phone is locked or screen is off
- Gongs don't stop until manually stopped
- Timer fell asleep and didn't go off
- Bell stopped working after an update

**Requested features**

- Add Apple Watch app
- Vibration feedback when timer ends
- Option to set number of bells/gongs
- Allow timer to run in background with screen off
- Option to change volume of the bell/gong


### Grid Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-diary-journal-planner/id1392523148)

This app offers a guided journaling experience to foster personal development and mindfulness. It helps users build positive habits, manage stress, and enhance various aspects of their lives through customizable prompts and unique layouts.

**Highlights:** Prompted journaling with custom questions, Unique grid and mandala layouts, Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly planning, Supports various journaling methods, Mindfulness and self-care focus, Stress and anxiety alleviation techniques

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent journaling app
- 📚 Customizable templates and prompts
- 🧠 Helps with self-reflection and mental health
- 🗓️ Organized grid layout
- 🔍 Useful search and timeline features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues and data loss
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Lack of account deletion or data export options
- 🤔 Confusing onboarding and upgrade process
- 🕰️ Slow loading times and app freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Entries disappearing or not syncing properly
- Password reset functionality not working
- Subscription issues and inability to access premium features
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add Apple Pencil support
- Improve sync reliability across devices
- Provide more customization options for layouts and fonts
- Integrate with other productivity apps and calendars
- Implement a one-time purchase option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Meditation Timer free?

Simple Meditation Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Grid Diary free?

Grid Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Simple Meditation Timer or Grid Diary?

Grid Diary is rated higher. Simple Meditation Timer averages 4.4 out of 5 from 110 ratings, while Grid Diary averages 4.6 from 963 ratings.

### Do Simple Meditation Timer or Grid Diary have ads?

Neither Simple Meditation Timer nor Grid Diary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Meditation Timer or Grid Diary?

Simple Meditation Timer ships an update every 3 months, and Grid Diary every 2 weeks. Most recently, Simple Meditation Timer was updated on October 21, 2026 and Grid Diary on October 24, 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.*