# LabTimer vs Kitchen Timer

The clearest difference is rating: Kitchen Timer at 4.6 against LabTimer's 4.0. Kitchen Timer also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 11 months). LabTimer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kitchen Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LabTimer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kitchen Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 172 and 204 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of LabTimer's written reviews are positive against 89% of Kitchen 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, Kitchen Timer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LabTimer | Kitchen Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labtimer/id292202454/reviews) | **[4.6 (204 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kitchen-timer-simple-cooking/id6471403964/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 172 | **204** |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 88.9% 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 | 54 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) | [Focaccia, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689143851) |

## 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


### Kitchen Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kitchen-timer-simple-cooking/id6471403964)

A straightforward kitchen timer designed for everyday cooking. It offers customizable patterns and colors, with a convenient long-press function for quick time setting. Receive notifications even when the app is running in the background.

**Highlights:** Easy-to-use interface, Long press for quick time setting, Background notifications, Customizable patterns and colors, Simple cooking aid

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kitchen timer Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LabTimer free?

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

### Is Kitchen Timer free?

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

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

Kitchen Timer is rated higher. LabTimer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 172 ratings, while Kitchen Timer averages 4.6 from 204 ratings.

### Do LabTimer or Kitchen Timer have ads?

Kitchen Timer shows ads; LabTimer does not.

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

LabTimer ships an update every 11 months, and Kitchen Timer fortnightly. Most recently, LabTimer was updated on October 22, 2026 and Kitchen Timer on October 24, 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.*