timer. vs Chain Timers
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
timer.
Manage multiple countdown timers simultaneously with this intuitive app. Set custom names, sounds, and even use your own music for alarms. Access timers easily via widgets, Apple Watch, and Live Activities.
- Multiple simultaneous timers
- Customizable names and alarm sounds
- Background timer operation
- Widget and Apple Watch access
- Live Activities with Play/Pause
- Siri Shortcuts support
- Dark Mode and themes
Read full descriptionHide full description
timer. is a simple and easy too use countdown timer. You are able to run several timers at the same time. The timers can be paused / resumed by the user and still run in background. Also you are able to define a sound or name. With the timer. widget and Apple Watch app you have quick and easy access to your last created timer. Features: - Several timers at the same time - Save timer - Edit and reorder existing timers - Siri Shortcuts support - Define timer name and alarm sound - Define an unlimited amount of timers - Timers still run in backround - Choose different alarms for notification and In-App - Choose from your favorite music for In-App alarm from your locally stored Apple Music or iTunes Music files - Widget for easy access the last created timer - Filter for running timers - Full access to timers from widget - Apple Watch app to view last created timer - More than 30 different alarm sounds - Choose between 16 modern themes for App and Widget - Dark Mode - Live Activities with Play / Pause - Dynamic Island Support with Play / Pause - Home Screen Widgets with Play / Pause For feedback or feature requests visit us on twitter: https://twitter.com/timer_2018 Please note for devices which run iOS 18 or older: The mute switch should not be active when the app is in background. Finished timers are not notified with an alarm sound. This is a limitation of iOS 18 or older. If the app is running in foreground, the alarm sounds are also played when the mute switch is active.
Chain Timers
Connect multiple countdown timers to run in sequence. Configure automatic transitions between timers or choose to pause. Share your timer sequences easily across devices.
- Chain up to 25 timers
- Automatic or manual timer transitions
- Share timer lists
- Cross-device list sharing
- Save timer histories
Read full descriptionHide full description
Chain your timers. Take control of your time. Chain Timer is a simple and useful app that lets you connect and run multiple countdown timers in a row. Key Features: * Connect up to 25 timers in one sequence * Choose whether to pause or move to the next timer automatically after each one ends * Easily share timer lists (QR codes can also be used for simple lists) * Share lists between iPhone, iPad, and Mac * Save up to 4 timer list histories (5 including the one you're currently using) Perfect for: * Structuring self-study sessions * Setting timers to match recipe steps * Keeping meetings and workshops on track * Creating and following your personal health routines Note: This app does not support sub-second timers. It is not intended for use in competitive sports or situations requiring precise time measurement.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chain Timers at 100% against timer.'s 63%. Chain Timers also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). timer.'s advantage is ratings volume (170 vs 1) and rating (4.3 vs 4.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. timer. sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Chain Timers asks for nothing beyond the download.
timer. holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: timer. has 170 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of timer.'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Chain Timers's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
timer. ships an update every 3 months, Chain Timers every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | timer. | Chain Timers |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (170 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 63.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 170 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tobias Hauss | Masayuki Nomura |
Customer experience
timer.
Chain Timers
Bugs and requests
timer.
Reported bugs
10 issues- Widget opens the app when interacted with
- Timers disappear or are lost
- Watch app sync issues
- Widget buttons overlap or are unreadable
- App remains on Dynamic Island after closing
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Banner in notification center is unreadable
- Live activity obscures status bar elements
- App closes immediately upon opening
- Purchases not restoring or working correctly
- Custom timers and widgets disappear
Requested features
14 requests- Make widgets smaller and show only clicked timer
- Allow Apple Watch to select and restart specific times
- Add option to dynamically set timer from Shortcuts
- Add option for timers to repeatedly loop
- Option to hide seconds in Dynamic Island
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Redesign lock screen widget to remove alarm sound name
- Show progress bar/circle on timer icon in live activity
- Allow typing timer values instead of only wheel pickers
- Add stopwatch function
- Allow setting custom vibrate patterns
- Make timer setting area larger for easier use
- Separate page for created alarms
- Option to play music from Apple Music library for alarms
- Slower animation for swipe to show/hide create menu
Chain Timers
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
timer.
- Themes for timer.$0.99
- iTunes Music as In-App Alarm$0.99
- Edit All Widget Details$0.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Edit & Reorder Existing Timer$1.99
- PRO (Bundle) - All Features$6.99
Chain Timers
No in-app purchases









