Comparison

Timer vs Sphinx

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

Head to head
About

Timer

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
Read full description

Meet Minimal Timer, your perfect companion for all your timing needs. This easy-to-use timer app helps you stay focused and manage your time well, whether you're working, studying, cooking, or just need a gentle reminder. We've designed it to be simple and helpful, so you can do more with less fuss. Set Timers with Ease: With Minimal Timer, setting a timer is straightforward and quick. You can easily set your desired duration in minutes or hours using the clear, easy-to-use keypad interface. Simply type in the time you need, and you're ready to go. If you often use the same times, you'll also love our selection of handy presets that get you started quickly. Or, if you need something specific, you can customize your own timers to fit any activity. Minimal Timer is built to be flexible for your everyday life. Custom Presets: Create and save your own frequently used timer durations. Whether it's for a 25-minute focus session, a 7-minute workout, or a 30-minute cooking reminder, you can set it once and use it again and again with just a tap. This makes starting your favorite timers super quick and easy. Custom Alarm Volume: Adjust your alarm sound to be just right for any situation. Whether you need a loud reminder to get your attention or a quiet chime that won't disturb others, you're in control. This means your timer will always alert you exactly how you want it to. Ambient Ticking Sound: If you like to feel time passing, you can turn on an optional, gentle ticking sound. This subtle feature can help you stay aware of the duration and maintain your focus, creating a calm and productive environment without being distracting. Widgets: Keep an eye on your timers right from your home screen. Our handy widgets let you see your active timers at a glance, so you're always updated on your progress without needing to open the app. It's a convenient way to stay on track throughout your day. Subscription & Cancellation: Enjoy flexible subscription options for premium features. Your payment is charged to your Apple account when you confirm your purchase, and subscriptions renew automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the current period ends. If you start with a free trial, it will switch to a paid subscription unless canceled before the trial is over. You can easily manage or cancel your subscription anytime through your Apple account settings. Ready to make managing your time a breeze? Minimal Timer is designed for everyone, with a clean look and straightforward features that just work. Give it a try today and enjoy the convenience of a reliable and simple timer tool! Terms of Use & Privacy Policy: https://regular-wednesday-69a.notion.site/Terms-of-Use-2b99efd494008031afe9f5cc09712f48 https://regular-wednesday-69a.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-2b79efd4940080e1b734f1af1d853ddb

About

Sphinx

Read full description

Most app blockers ask you to have willpower. Sphinx asks you to have two minutes and a working brain. Lock the apps that eat your evening. When you want back in, you don't tap "ignore" — you solve a chess puzzle. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps you want locked, and choose how long the lock lasts. 2. Open one of them and you hit the Sphinx shield instead. 3. Solve a puzzle to buy back five minutes. Solve more for longer. EACH UNLOCK COSTS MORE THAN THE LAST The first unlock in a lock window costs one puzzle. The second costs two. The third costs three. After that, you wait until the window ends. The price is on screen before you commit, so a long session never feels free. PUZZLES, NOT TIMERS • 2,499 mate-in-one chess puzzles, every one verified solvable • Number pattern puzzles if chess isn't your thing • Everything is solved on device, so no connection is needed NO ESCAPE HATCH There is no "just this once" button, no snooze, no early exit. A lock window runs until it ends. Apps inside one can't even be removed from your list until it does. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Sphinx never learns which apps you locked. Your selection is handled entirely by Apple's Screen Time framework and stays on your device. No account, no sign-up, no tracking. LIGHT AND DARK Pick either, or follow your phone. — Sphinx uses Apple's Screen Time permission to lock and unlock the apps you choose. It cannot see your activity in those apps, and it cannot see which apps you selected. Sphinx Pro is an auto-renewable subscription: $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the trial ends, the yearly subscription begins automatically. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it in Settings on your device. Privacy Policy: https://kevinnguyen2321.github.io/sphinx-privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Timer4 screens
Sphinx4 screens

Verdict

The call

Timer and Sphinx are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Sphinx sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timer ships an update every 4 days, Sphinx weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Timer versus Sphinx: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimerSphinx
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (442 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings442 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS1717.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStudio 1J, LLCKevin Nguyen

Bugs and requests

Timer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

4 requests
  • 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

Sphinx

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Timer

Subscriptions3
  • Minimal Timer+3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • Minimal Timer+3 Days trial$19.997 Days
  • Minimal Timer+3 variants$79.001 Year
2 purchases

Sphinx

Subscriptions2
  • Sphinx Pro$4.991 Month
  • Sphinx Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Timer free?
Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sphinx free?
Sphinx is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Timer or Sphinx have ads?
Neither Timer nor Sphinx shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Timer or Sphinx?
Timer ships an update every 4 days, and Sphinx weekly. Most recently, Timer was updated on October 8, 2026 and Sphinx on October 6, 2026.

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