# Timer vs Mahjong Buddy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mahjong Buddy at none against Timer's 5. Mahjong Buddy also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17). Timer's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 weeks). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Mahjong Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Timer ships an update every 4 days, Mahjong Buddy every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Timer | Mahjong Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (471 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-minimal-timer/id1661418622/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **471** | — |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 28 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Studio 1J, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639917300) | [Kalu Lal Somawat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1690010232) |

## What reviewers say

### Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-minimal-timer/id1661418622)

This app offers a simple and intuitive way to manage your time for various activities. Set custom timers, utilize quick presets, and adjust alarm volumes to suit your needs. Stay on track with home screen widgets and an optional ambient ticking sound.

**Highlights:** Easy timer setting, Customizable presets, Adjustable alarm volume, Ambient ticking sound option, Home screen widgets, Flexible subscription options

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Minimal Timer+ | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Minimal Timer+ | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Minimal Timer+ | $79.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Minimal and simple design
- 👍 Great for meditation timers
- 👍 Custom volume feature
- 👍 Sleek and wonderful app
- 👍 Imposes discipline for time monitoring

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Extremely high weekly subscription cost
- 💸 Unfair trial requiring subscription
- 💸 Predatory pricing model
- 💸 No free version for basic use
- 💸 App is too expensive

**Reported bugs**

- App swirls for over a minute before loading
- No widgets found after paying for subscription
- Unable to get past the first screen without subscribing

**Requested features**

- Allow limited access to try before subscribing
- Add an option to control the timer from the widget
- Add shortcuts support for setting and naming timers
- Add a 24-hour timer option


### Mahjong Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mahjong-buddy/id6769337059)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Timer free?

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

### Is Mahjong Buddy free?

Mahjong Buddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Timer or Mahjong Buddy have ads?

Neither Timer nor Mahjong Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Timer or Mahjong Buddy?

Timer ships an update every 4 days, and Mahjong Buddy every 4 weeks. Most recently, Timer was updated on November 3, 2026 and Mahjong Buddy on October 25, 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.*