Comparison

Chess Clock vs Tempo

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

Head to head
About

Chess Clock

This app provides a simple and quick way to compete with friends using a minimalistic design and easy controls. It offers various game modes, move counting, and automatic timer pausing. Enjoy pleasant sounds, haptic feedback, and customizable themes for an enhanced experience.

Highlights
  • Minimalistic design
  • Simple controls
  • Different game modes
  • Move counter
  • Automatic timer pause
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

Compete with your friends in an easy and quick way. Chess Clock has everything you need: – Minimalistic design and nice animations – Simple controls and easy-to-read buttons – Different game modes and opportunity to create new modes – Counter of play moves – Timer pauses automatically if the app is interrupted; you could manually pause the clock at any time – Pleasant sounds and haptic – Sound and vibration for low-time warning – Range of stylish themes The main functionality of Chess Clock is free, and it has no ads. If you want to support the app, you could buy premium themes pack.

About

Tempo

Features
Read full description

Tempo is a chess clock that stays out of the way. Put your iPhone or iPad next to the board - and play. • Two big halves, one per player. After your move, tap anywhere on your half. • White is light, Black is dark. The top half faces the player across the table. • Precise to the millisecond. In the final ten seconds the clock shows tenths. • Every common time control: bullet to classical, increment, delay, custom times. • Before the game: enter names, swap or draw colors, flip sides. • Afterwards: rematch in one tap, stats for every move, a history of your games. No ads, no account, no tracking. Tempo collects no data and works offline.

Screenshots

Chess Clock4 screens
Tempo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tempo at none against Chess Clock's 1. Tempo also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). Chess Clock's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Chess Clock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tempo asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Clock ships an update every 2 weeks, Tempo every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Chess Clock versus Tempo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess ClockTempo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOleksandr Kozlovlenn Gahlert

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Chess Clock

One-time1
  • Premium$0.99
None

Tempo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess Clock free?
Chess Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chess Clock or Tempo have ads?
Neither Chess Clock nor Tempo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Clock or Tempo?
Chess Clock ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tempo every 2 days. Most recently, Chess Clock was updated on November 3, 2026 and Tempo on October 29, 2026.

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