Comparison

Loop vs Better Timer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Loop

Easily create and manage multiple timers for various activities like sports, meditation, and study. Set interval timers, save presets, and import custom sounds. The app offers automatic resets, Apple Watch integration, and iCloud sync for a seamless experience.

Highlights
  • Multiple timer types (interval, Tabata)
  • Natural text input for quick timers
  • Automatic timer reset and alarm options
  • Customizable presets with icons and colors
  • Import custom start, finish, and interval sounds
  • Background meditation sounds
  • iCloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

Loop makes setting timers easier, faster and more beautiful. Start multiple (interval, Tabata, and cooking) timers, create presets, import your own sounds and so much more! - Easy Start: The start screen shows the most recently started timers and your favorites. One tap is enough to start a timer. You can also create a new quick timer with natural-language input: Simply type something like "1h Work, 30m Break" to create a timer with two intervals. Any number of timers can be started in parallel. The first timers will be displayed as nested rings. - Automatic Reset: After a timer expires, the app plays a sound and the timer automatically resets, so you can start it again immediately. Alternatively, you can configure a timer to play the sound like an alarm until you disable it. Loop supports AlarmKit so the alarm is also shown on your Apple Watch (requires at least iOS or iPadOS 26). - Presets: You can save your favorite timers as presets, which can be started with a tap. You can use text or an icon for your presets, and also change the color as you like. You can create multiple categories for your presets, with each category able to customize the app’s default settings. - Interval Timers: You can create interval timers and save them as Presets. The app plays a sound for each elapsed interval and displays it as a small dash on the ring. Additionally, you can name each of them, select repetitions for the intervals, or make the timer repeat automatically. - Choose Sounds: In addition to many included sounds, you can also import your own sound files from the Files app. Start, pause, finish, reset, interval, and background sounds can be selected separately. - Meditation Sounds: You can activate a background sound such as ocean waves or white noise in the settings, which will then be played when a timer is running. It is also possible to switch off the screen in order to concentrate fully on your meditation. - iCloud Sync: Your timers, settings, and sounds sync with your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. - Push Notifications & Live Activities: Loop will send you a push notification when the app is closed if a timer or interval has expired. The sounds selected in the app will also be used for the notification. In addition, a live activity is displayed when timers are running. - And More: Custom app icons, Apple Watch integration, HealthKit support, configure when the screen should stay awake, and countless further options. This application is governed by Apple’s standard Licensed Application End User License Agreement (EULA), available at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Better Timer

This app allows you to run multiple timers simultaneously and build repeating routines. Customize each timer with colors, icons, and sounds. Start timers from Control Center or Siri without opening the app.

Highlights
  • Run multiple timers simultaneously
  • Build repeating routines
  • Customize timers with colors and sounds
  • Start timers from Control Center and Siri
  • Background timer support
  • Cute pastel design
Features
Read full description

Run several timers at once, chain steps into routines that repeat on their own, and give every timer its own pastel color, icon, and sound. Better Timer is made for cooking, workouts, study sessions, and daily routines. NEW IN 1.3 • Live Activities: follow your timers on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, and pause or stop them right there • System alarms on iOS 26: finished timers ring and show on screen, even when a Focus is on • Notification actions: add a minute or start the next step without opening the app MULTIPLE TIMERS AT ONCE Pasta, garlic bread, and tea, all counting down side by side. Each countdown keeps its own time, color, and completion sound, and you can pause one or add a minute without touching the others. ROUTINES THAT REPEAT Chain steps like Focus and Break, or Sprint and Rest, and choose how many rounds to run. Better Timer moves to the next step for you, or waits for a tap if you turn on Pause Between Steps. • Pomodoro cycles for studying and deep work • HIIT, Tabata, and circuit rounds • Recipes with several stages • Morning and evening routines MADE FOR EVERY DAY • Quick Timer: start a 1, 5, 10, or 30 minute timer in one tap • 16 pastel colors, plus an icon and sound for every countdown and step • Light and dark mode • Control Center controls on iOS 18 and later • Siri and Shortcuts: "Start Pomodoro in Better Timer" • Repeat Alerts, so a finished timer keeps reminding you until you respond • Timers keep running when you close the app FREE AND PRIVATE No ads, no subscriptions, and no account. Better Timer doesn't collect any data.

Screenshots

Loop4 screens
Better Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Better Timer at 100% against Loop's 63%. Better Timer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Loop's advantage is ratings volume (68 vs 6) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Loop sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Better Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Better Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Loop has 68 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Loop's written reviews are positive against 100% of Better Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Loop ships an update every 10 days, Better Timer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Loop versus Better Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLoopBetter Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (68 ratings)4.8 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings68 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size82 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLeon BoettgerHung Nguyen

Customer experience

Loop

All ratings68 ratings
Positive83.8%
Neutral5.9%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

Better Timer

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Loop

Subscriptions2
  • Loop+ Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Loop+ Yearly3 Days trial$3.991 Year
One-time1
  • Upgrade to Loop+$4.99
None

Better Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Loop free?
Loop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Better Timer free?
Better Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Loop or Better Timer?
Better Timer is rated higher. Loop averages 4.4 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Better Timer averages 4.8 from 6 ratings.
Do Loop or Better Timer have ads?
Neither Loop nor Better Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Loop or Better Timer?
Loop ships an update every 10 days, and Better Timer fortnightly. Most recently, Loop was updated on October 25, 2026 and Better Timer on October 24, 2026.

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