# Chime vs The Time Is

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Time Is at 100% against Chime's 45%. The Time Is also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Chime's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and ratings volume (819 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Chime is free to download; The Time Is costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Time Is holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chime has 819 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Chime's written reviews are positive against 100% of The Time Is's.

Chime ships an update every 5 months, The Time Is every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chime | The Time Is |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.2 (819 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chime-speaking-clock/id1369098015/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-time-is/id6757154200/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **819** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 19 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reeba Sebastian](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281813035) | [Donald Fredrick](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864920431) |

## What reviewers say

### Chime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chime-speaking-clock/id1369098015)

Set personalized alerts and time announcements with customizable sounds and repeat intervals. Features include night mode and automatic weekend disabling for uninterrupted rest.

**Highlights:** Personalized alerts, Flexible chime intervals, Preference saving, Night mode, Customizable time ranges, Do Not Disturb on weekends

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Helpful for productivity
- 🔒 Accessible for blind users
- 💡 Useful for time awareness

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work with latest iOS updates
- 🔊 Loud volume issues
- 📢 Too many ads
- 🔧 Difficult setup process

**Reported bugs**

- Chime not working after iOS updates
- Can't change Do Not Disturb settings
- Inconsistent behavior across devices
- Setup process gets stuck

**Requested features**

- Add custom sound options
- Allow adjusting chime volume
- Provide option to disable ads
- Expand chime interval options
- Add Apple Watch support


### The Time Is

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-time-is/id6757154200)

This utility app announces the time with real human voices and classic chimes, offering customizable hourly and half-hourly alerts. It operates offline, respects user privacy, and provides a one-time purchase for full access.

**Highlights:** Real human voice announcements, Multiple chime styles, Customizable hourly alerts, Half-hour chime option, Offline functionality, No data collection or tracking, One-time purchase

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chime free?

Chime is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Time Is free?

The Time Is costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chime or The Time Is?

The Time Is is rated higher. Chime averages 4.2 out of 5 from 819 ratings, while The Time Is averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Chime or The Time Is have ads?

Neither Chime nor The Time Is shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chime or The Time Is?

Chime ships an update every 5 months, and The Time Is every 2 months. Most recently, Chime was updated on October 25, 2026 and The Time Is 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.*