# Talking Timer vs HourChime

The clearest difference is price: HourChime at Free against Talking Timer's $1.99. Talking Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

HourChime is free to download; Talking Timer costs $1.99 up front. HourChime sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Talking Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Talking Timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of Talking Timer's written reviews are positive against 62% of HourChime's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Talking Timer ships an update every 5 days, HourChime every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Talking Timer | HourChime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talking-timer-voice-alerts/id1582848182/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourchime/id6753335220/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **61.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 28 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masao Saeki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435000955) | [Mitsuhiro Hashimoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/509482512) |

## What reviewers say

### Talking Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talking-timer-voice-alerts/id1582848182)

This utility app provides spoken alerts for multiple timers, even when running in the background. Customize each timer with a unique name and message, and choose from various alert modes. Save your favorite timer configurations for quick access.

**Highlights:** Six independent timers, Custom voice message per timer, Multiple alert modes (Normal, Repeat, Alarm), Timer presets for saving settings, Background operation with sound, Available in 14 languages

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### HourChime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourchime/id6753335220)

This app provides hourly or 30-minute voice cues and sounds to help you stay focused and on track. It features customizable quiet hours and a clean, battery-friendly interface. The app is designed for reliable background operation.

**Highlights:** Hourly/30-minute chime intervals, Spoken time announcements, Customizable mute schedule, Background operation, Battery-friendly design, Light/Dark Mode support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Talking Timer free?

Talking Timer costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HourChime free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Talking Timer or HourChime?

Talking Timer is rated higher. Talking Timer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while HourChime averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Talking Timer or HourChime have ads?

Neither Talking Timer nor HourChime shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Talking Timer or HourChime?

Talking Timer ships an update every 5 days, and HourChime every 2 months. Most recently, Talking Timer was updated on October 8, 2026 and HourChime on October 12, 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.*