Comparison

Timer vs Time_Tools

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

Head to head
About

Timer

This advanced timer allows for precise time management across various activities. Set multiple special events with customizable triggers like sounds, messages, or screen flashing. It's ideal for games, workouts, cooking, meditation, and any task requiring accurate timing, even when the app is in the background.

Highlights
  • Multiple complex timers simultaneously
  • Scheduled event triggers (sounds, messages, photos)
  • Customizable display modes (textual, graphical)
  • Background operation with sound/message alerts
  • Looping timers
  • Delayed start and flexible stop time entry
  • Screen blocking and flashlight alerts
Features
Read full description

Build timers that guide you through every step. Hear the next stretching instruction, follow a cooking sequence, or alternate activity and rest—with spoken announcements, sounds and clear visual progress. Start with a ready-made preset, then adapt it to your routine. From a simple countdown to a workout with several stages, choose your cues and preview the sequence before you begin. Try the Stretching preset for an example with spoken guidance. HEAR WHAT COMES NEXT Create cues such as “Hold the stretch” or “Round 3 of 5.” Combine your own text with timer and event names, round numbers, elapsed or remaining time, and the current clock time. Choose a voice and delay speech to let an alarm sound first. Use the same text and variables in on-screen messages and notifications. SET THE PACE OF YOUR ROUTINE Build intervals for HIIT, Tabata, stretching, meditation or study breaks. You can also time turns in board games. • Choose a duration or a specific finish time, with an optional preparation delay. • Repeat for a set number of rounds or indefinitely. • Schedule cues relative to the start or end, as a time or a percentage, or at regular intervals—for example, a gong 30 seconds before the end or a tick every second. • Run an event every round, only the first or last, or a range such as rounds 3–5. End actions can run every round or only after the final one. SAVE IT ONCE, USE IT AGAIN Run several timers at once. Add, reorder and hide timers to keep the ones you need within reach. Save your setups as presets, organize them, and import or export them to reuse or share. SEE YOUR PROGRESS AT A GLANCE Display remaining time, elapsed time, the clock or graphical progress in two customizable areas. Switch to full screen for a larger view, in portrait or landscape. Keep track of the current round, dim the display for a less intrusive screen, and lock the controls while keeping the time visible. Choose whether to stop at the end or keep showing the time elapsed since finishing. MAKE IT YOUR OWN Choose bells, gongs and other alarms, or import and record your own sounds. Try Shepard tones: sequences that seem to rise or fall endlessly in pitch. Play a song from your music library, choose a random track from a playlist, or schedule music to stop. Prefer silent cues? Use on-screen messages, vibrations or a flashing screen. Customize colors and backgrounds, and search over 1,800 icons. On supported devices, you can also schedule photos or use the flashlight as a visual cue. In the background, scheduled notifications can display messages and play notification sounds. Spoken announcements, photos and other interactive actions require Timer to stay open.

About

Time_Tools

Features
Read full description

This is a 4-mode app suitable for time management calculations: time calculation function, stopwatch function, backward count timer function, and clock display function. Calculations and measurements in seconds are possible (measurements in milliseconds are not supported) You can use the time calculation function, stopwatch function, and backward count timer function on Apple Watch alone. detail of function ・Time calculation function [CALCULATOR]: Hour: minute: second addition and subtraction function ・Stopwatch function [STOP WATCH]: Stopwatch function in seconds You can not only start from 0 seconds but also set the start time in advance. ・Countdown timer function [COUNTDOWN]: Countdown timer function from a preset time When it reaches 0 seconds, no alarm is generated and it continues to move in the negative direction. (The press time will be displayed during broadcasts, etc.) ・Clock display function [TIME]: Displays the iPhone clock time digitally.

Screenshots

Timer4 screens
Time_Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Timer at none against Time_Tools's shown. Timer also leads on iOS requirement (13 vs 16.6). Time_Tools's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months) and price ($1.99 vs $3.99). On in-app purchases 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

Timer costs $3.99 and Time_Tools $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timer ships an update every 7 months, Time_Tools every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Timer versus Time_Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimerTime_Tools
Price$3.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.8 (221 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews80.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings221 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrancis BonninHTLab

Bugs and requests

Timer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Timer randomly changing time during use
  • Alarm not sounding when app is in background
  • Screen dimming and locking issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Multiple timers running concurrently
  • Ability to save and share custom timer presets
  • More vibration and sound alert options
  • Improved background mode and iOS 4 support

Time_Tools

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Timer

No in-app purchases

None

Time_Tools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Timer free?
Timer costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Time_Tools free?
Time_Tools costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Timer or Time_Tools have ads?
Time_Tools shows ads; Timer does not.
Which is updated more often, Timer or Time_Tools?
Timer ships an update every 7 months, and Time_Tools every 2 months. Most recently, Timer was updated on October 5, 2026 and Time_Tools on September 24, 2026.

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