Comparison

Big Ben vs Sound Effects Boards Pro

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

Head to head
About

Big Ben

Experience the iconic Big Ben on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Customize your display with digital clock options, a seconds hand, and authentic tick-tock sounds. Enjoy hourly chimes and quarter-hour alerts, even when the app is closed, for a decorative and timely experience.

Highlights
  • Digital clock display
  • Seconds hand option
  • Tick-tock sound
  • Quarter-hour chimes
  • Hourly tolling
  • Background notifications
Features
Read full description

During 2009, the UK Parliament celebrated the 150th anniversary of its world famous Clock Tower, Great Clock and Great Bell. The name Big Ben is often used to describe the tower, the clock and the bell but the name was first given to the Great Bell. 1859 was the beginning for all three elements when the Clock Tower was completed, the Great Clock started on 31 May and the Great Bell’s chimes were heard for the first time on 11 July. Have your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV display the time of day in style. Options include: adding a digital clock display showing a seconds hand having it make a tick-tock sound having it chime every quarter of an hour and toll on the hour (the chiming and tolling sounds will play even when the app is not open, so long as your device is not muted and you allow notifications in the General Settings for Big Ben) having it chime only on the hour instead of every quarter of an hour having a "Quiet Hours" period during which no chimes will play Pointless? Maybe. Decorative? Certainly. NB If you wear an Apple Watch, make sure you turn off Mirror iPhone Alerts From: BigBen or you will not hear the chimes. Thanks to all who left comments and suggestions for improvement.

About

Sound Effects Boards Pro

Access over 300 humorous sound effects and prank noises organized into more than 50 diverse soundboards. Explore categories like party, comedy, animals, and alarms for endless entertainment and practical jokes.

Highlights
  • Over 300 fun sounds
  • 50+ entertaining soundboards
  • Multiple categories (party, comedy, animals, alarms)
  • Prank and joke features
  • 5 apps in 1 (Fun, Annoying, Scary, Sci Fi, Sound Effects)
Features
Read full description

Get more than 300 fun sounds to make you laugh and prank your friends & family! More than 50 highly entertaining soundboards including party, high frequency, comedy, cartoon, animals, beer, burps, farts, sirens, wake up alarms and more! This fun sound app is 5 apps in one - Fun, Annoying, Scary, Sci Fi and Sound Effects Boards. Feel free to try out the free ad supported versions by scrolling down to the Developer Apps section.

Screenshots

Big Ben4 screens
Sound Effects Boards Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sound Effects Boards Pro at 4.2 against Big Ben's 3.8. Sound Effects Boards Pro also leads on chart position (#153 vs unranked). Big Ben's advantage is ratings volume (41 vs 5) and device support (4 vs 2). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Big Ben costs $2.99 and Sound Effects Boards Pro $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sound Effects Boards Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Big Ben has 41 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Big Ben's written reviews are positive against 50% of Sound Effects Boards Pro's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Big Ben ships an update every 41 months, Sound Effects Boards Pro every 33 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Big Ben versus Sound Effects Boards Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBig BenSound Effects Boards Pro
Price$2.99 — better$3.99
Rating3.8 (41 ratings)4.2 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings41 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 41 monthsEvery 33 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#153 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB31 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperEttore Software Ltd.iGreenEarth

Customer experience

Big Ben

All ratings41 ratings
Positive73.2%
Neutral2.4%
Negative24.4%
Written reviews149 reviews
Positive57.0%
Neutral10.1%
Negative32.9%

Sound Effects Boards Pro

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Big Ben

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes immediately upon opening
  • Not compatible with iOS 15, iOS 17, iOS 12
  • Doesn't chime when phone is locked or in background
  • No sound output despite notifications enabled
  • App won't launch on iPhone 15.3.1
Show 6 more
  • Crashes on iPhone 12 mini
  • VoiceOver notifications interfering with chimes
  • Hourly chime not functioning on iOS 11.2.6
  • Chimes stop working after app update
  • Tick-tock sounds out of sync with second hand
  • Paid version requires repurchase and doesn't work

Requested features

20 requests
  • Night mode/silent hours scheduling (9pm-5am)
  • Adjustable volume control within app
  • Smooth minute hand animation
  • Hourly-only chime option (disable quarter chimes)
  • Background chimes while phone is locked
Show 15 more
  • Chimes on half-hour intervals
  • Dynamic backgrounds based on time of day/weather
  • Updated Big Ben chimes post-renovation
  • Customizable lock screen display
  • iPad/universal app version
  • Weather integration
  • Multiple background images/locations
  • Chimes on watch/wearables
  • Alarm functionality
  • Tick-tock sounds in sync with second hand
  • Floodlit Big Ben for nighttime display
  • GPS-based daylight/sunset lighting
  • Screen saver functionality
  • Quieter/softer tick-tock option
  • Delay between quarter and hour chimes

Sound Effects Boards Pro

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Big Ben

No in-app purchases

None

Sound Effects Boards Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Big Ben free?
Big Ben costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sound Effects Boards Pro free?
Sound Effects Boards Pro costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Big Ben or Sound Effects Boards Pro?
Sound Effects Boards Pro is rated higher. Big Ben averages 3.8 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Sound Effects Boards Pro averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.
Do Big Ben or Sound Effects Boards Pro have ads?
Neither Big Ben nor Sound Effects Boards Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Big Ben or Sound Effects Boards Pro?
Big Ben ships an update every 41 months, and Sound Effects Boards Pro every 33 months. Most recently, Big Ben was updated on October 31, 2026 and Sound Effects Boards Pro on November 1, 2026.

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