Comparison

Ellie vs StarTimer

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

Head to head
About

Ellie

Organize your day with a beautiful task management app. View tasks by day, dump ideas to clear your mind, and schedule them directly into your calendar. Integrates with Google and Apple calendars for a unified view.

Highlights
  • Daily planner view
  • Brain dump for task offloading
  • Time block/time box mode
  • Google Calendar integration
  • Apple Calendar integration
  • Labels, recurring tasks, subtasks (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Clear your head. Plan what fits. Get it done. Ellie turns an open-ended brain dump into a realistic plan for your day: • Capture tasks quickly in Brain Dump • Drag tasks into a time-blocked calendar • See Apple Calendar and Google Calendar events alongside your tasks • Stay focused with Stopwatch and Pomodoro timers • Organize projects with labels, subtasks, recurring tasks, priorities, and more • Plan on the go, then pick up where you left off on the web The free version of Ellie includes unlimited tasks. Upgrade to Ellie Pro for $9.99/month, $99.99/year, or a one-time $299.99 purchase to unlock additional Pro features including labels, recurring tasks, subtasks, and more. If you previously purchased Ellie Pro, use Restore Purchases in the app to restore access. Prices shown are for customers in the United States and may vary with your App Store account settings. In-app purchases and subscriptions cannot be shared using Family Sharing. Ellie Terms of Service - https://ellieplanner.com/legal/terms-of-service Ellie Privacy Policy - https://ellieplanner.com/legal/privacy

About

StarTimer

This app helps you manage your time with smart scheduling and customizable timers. It offers real-time progress tracking, voice control, and a beautiful, privacy-focused design. Perfect for daily routines, focus sessions, and workouts.

Highlights
  • Smart scheduling with reminders
  • Recurring schedules for routines
  • Live Activities for real-time progress
  • Dynamic Island integration
  • Customizable icons and color themes
  • Siri Shortcuts for voice control
  • Privacy-focused, no data collection
Features
Read full description

Transform your productivity with StarTimer - the most beautiful and intuitive timer app for iOS. SMART SCHEDULING & REMINDERS Never forget to start important activities again. Schedule reminders to start your timers at specific times - perfect for daily meditation at 7 AM, workout sessions at 6 PM, or focus blocks throughout your workday. Set one-time or recurring schedules that fit your routine perfectly. LIVE ACTIVITIES & DYNAMIC ISLAND Watch your timer progress in real-time without opening the app. StarTimer's Live Activities appear in your Dynamic Island and Lock Screen, keeping you informed at a glance. EXPRESS YOUR STYLE Choose from 20 beautiful icons and 13 stunning color themes. From meditation bells to cooking timers, find the perfect visual match for every activity. "HEY SIRI, START MY TIMER" Voice control makes timing effortless. Create custom Siri Shortcuts for your most-used timers and start them hands-free. FEATURES YOU'LL LOVE * Smart scheduling: Set reminders to start timers at specific times * Recurring schedules: Daily meditation, weekly workouts, custom routines * Live Activities for real-time progress tracking * Dynamic Island integration on supported devices * 20 beautiful icons: meditation, cooking, workout, study, and more * 13 stunning color themes to match your style * Siri Shortcuts for voice-activated timing * Haptic feedback for satisfying interactions * Premium design that feels native to iOS PERFECT FOR * Daily meditation reminders at your preferred time * Scheduled Pomodoro sessions throughout your workday * Cooking timer reminders for meal prep schedules * Workout interval scheduling for consistent fitness routines * Study session reminders to maintain learning habits * Meeting prep timers and scheduled break reminders PRIVACY FOCUSED Your timer data stays on your device. No accounts, no tracking, no data collection. Just beautiful, private timing that respects your privacy. Whether you need a daily reminder to start your 2-minute meditation, a scheduled 25-minute focus session, or automated workout timer prompts, StarTimer transforms time management into a beautiful, effortless experience. Download StarTimer today and never miss another important activity with smart scheduling and elegant design.

Screenshots

Ellie4 screens
StarTimer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Ellie at Free against StarTimer's $2.99. Ellie also leads on ratings volume (61 vs 1). StarTimer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Ellie is free to download; StarTimer costs $2.99 up front. Ellie sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. StarTimer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

StarTimer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ellie has 61 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ellie ships an update every 2 weeks, StarTimer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Ellie versus StarTimer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEllieStarTimer
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.6 (61 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings61 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS1816.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size190 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAloaLabs, LLCSaptak Sen

Customer experience

Ellie

All ratings61 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.3%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral5.4%
Negative7.1%

StarTimer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Ellie

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Tasks disappear when scheduling from Brain Dump
  • Editing and moving recurring tasks have bugs
  • Rearranging tasks causes them to bounce back
  • Add task button not working
  • Recurring tasks show multiple times on Google Calendar
Show 2 more
  • Calendar syncing not requesting access
  • iPad split screen, portrait orientation, window resizing missing

Requested features

9 requests
  • General note-taking area outside of Brain Dump
  • Easier way to add new time slots (e.g., holding on day time box)
  • Unfinished tasks/Brain Dump to go back to Brain Dump or a priority folder
  • Habit tracker
  • Custom repeat periods
Show 4 more
  • Ability to increase font size
  • Split screen on iPad
  • Portrait orientation on iPad
  • Ability to resize window on iPad

StarTimer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Ellie

Subscriptions2
  • Ellie Pro (Monthly)$9.991 Month
  • Ellie Pro (Annual Plan)$99.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ellie Pro - Lifetime$299.99
None

StarTimer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ellie free?
Ellie is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is StarTimer free?
StarTimer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ellie or StarTimer?
StarTimer is rated higher. Ellie averages 4.6 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while StarTimer averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Ellie or StarTimer have ads?
Neither Ellie nor StarTimer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ellie or StarTimer?
Ellie ships an update every 2 weeks, and StarTimer every 3 days. Most recently, Ellie was updated on October 21, 2026 and StarTimer on October 13, 2026.

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