# LabTimer vs Timer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LabTimer at none against Timer's 3. LabTimer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (91% vs 75%). Timer's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 11 months) and rating (4.4 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. LabTimer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 174 and 81 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of LabTimer's written reviews are positive against 75% of Timer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

LabTimer ships an update every 11 months, Timer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LabTimer | Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (174 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labtimer/id292202454/reviews) | **[4.4 (81 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-kitchen-timer-and-stopwatch/id1085996619/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **174** | 81 |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [0x0c](https://appshunter.io/developer/292202457) | [woodsmall inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/708077492) |

## What reviewers say

### LabTimer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labtimer/id292202454)

This app provides multiple configurable timers for various uses, from scientific experiments to everyday tasks like cooking and workouts. It features a clear display, customizable labels, and the ability to repeat count-down timers.

**Highlights:** Four configurable timers, Count-up and count-down modes, Large display and buttons, Customizable text labels, Repeat count-down functionality, Disables iPod sleep

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple, clean, and intuitive user interface
- 🎯 Multiple timers (up to 16) running simultaneously
- ⏱️ Ability to count up and count down
- 🔄 Timers continue running in background/other apps
- 💾 Saves timer settings for future use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notifications not working properly on iPad
- 🐛 App crashes or won't open on some iOS versions
- 🐛 Alarm doesn't work when app is locked/in background
- 📱 No landscape/auto-rotate orientation support
- 🔊 Alarm sound too short and soft

**Reported bugs**

- iPad notifications not displaying correctly
- App fails to open on iPhone X with iOS 14.4
- Alarm non-functional on iOS 5 in lock mode
- No audio output on iOS 9.x
- Timer stops when iPhone enters sleep mode (older versions)

**Requested features**

- Landscape orientation support (especially for iPad)
- Keyboard/direct number input for faster time entry
- Multiple selectable alarm sounds/tones
- Ability to customize alarm volume independently
- Countdown voice announcements


### Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-kitchen-timer-and-stopwatch/id1085996619)

This utility app provides a simple and stylish timer and stopwatch. It offers background notifications, customizable themes and alarm sounds, and vibration options. An optional plugin can remove ads.

**Highlights:** Background timer notifications, Selectable theme colors, Selectable alarm sounds, Vibration on/off, Tablet support

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly plan | $0.49 | per month |
| Annual plan | $5.99 | per year |
| Pay in full | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LabTimer free?

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

### Is Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LabTimer or Timer?

Timer is rated higher. LabTimer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 174 ratings, while Timer averages 4.4 from 81 ratings.

### Do LabTimer or Timer have ads?

Timer shows ads; LabTimer does not.

### Which is updated more often, LabTimer or Timer?

LabTimer ships an update every 11 months, and Timer fortnightly. Most recently, LabTimer was updated on August 26, 2026 and Timer on September 17, 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.*