Sandglass3 vs Act Timer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sandglass3
This app simulates a realistic hourglass with customizable timer durations. Users can flip the hourglass by swiping or rotating their device. It offers optional sound alerts and automatic rotation upon completion.
- Realistic hourglass simulation
- 1, 3, and 6-minute timers
- Swipe to flip hourglass
- Rotate device to flip
- Chime alert on completion
- Automatic rotation option
Read full descriptionHide full description
It's a very simple, yet realistic hourglass. - Choose from a 1-minute, 3-minute, or 6-minute timer (check the remaining time at the bottom of the screen to determine the correct time). - Swipe the screen horizontally or turn your iPhone sideways and then back to portrait to flip the hourglass over. - You can display the remaining time and play a chime when the timer finishes. - You can set it to rotate automatically once all the sand has fallen. Staring at it is soothing...maybe.
Act Timer
Read full descriptionHide full description
Tired of timers that rush you? Act Timer is built for the people who run workshops, meetups, and conferences — the ones holding the room together across multiple sessions. It shows no remaining time. It never rings at zero. It simply shows where you are, and how long you have been there. Every timer feature is free, with no limits. ■ Why no countdown? Real events run long, run short, swap order, and improvise. A countdown clock pressures the speaker and the room as zero approaches. Act Timer counts up instead. When to cut, when to ring — you decide, by reading the room. The host stays in charge. ■ Two clocks, side by side - TOTAL: time elapsed across the whole event - ACT: time elapsed in the current session Borrowing from the stage, one event is a Show, and each segment — a talk, an exercise, a break — is an Act. You can see at a glance that the event is on track while this Act is running long. Moving on takes one tap on NEXT ACT. That is the whole operation. ■ The chime is yours Nothing rings automatically. When you want to gather the room, ring it with one tap. It sounds even in silent mode, so it carries when it matters. ■ Look back when it's over Every Show is recorded automatically. Check the numbers — "the third Act ran long" — and build a better timetable next time. Records copy out as plain text, ready for speaker feedback or your debrief. Rehearsals and the real performance stay separate Shows. ■ No need to keep staring While the timer runs, the current Act stays visible in the Dynamic Island and on the Lock Screen. Glance at your iPhone and you know where you are. ■ A tool for professionals No flashy effects. Just the precision that people who know the floor will use, show after show. When the curtain rises, the rest is up to you. ■ Free vs. Pro The free version includes every timer feature — timing, chime, Dynamic Island — with no limits. History shows your latest 5 Shows; an in-app purchase unlocks all of them. Ads appear only right after launch and around the history screen — never while the timer is running. No ads in front of your audience is a rule this app will not break. Act Timer Pro, with no ads and unlimited history, is also available. * History cannot be transferred to the paid version.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sandglass3 at none against Act Timer's 2. Sandglass3 also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 26.5). Act Timer's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price 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
Both are free to download. Act Timer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Sandglass3 asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Sandglass3 | Act Timer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (11 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | — |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 26.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Keietsu Yasuhara | O2Cafe |
In-app purchases
Sandglass3
No in-app purchases
Act Timer
- Unlock Full History$1.99
- Remove Ads$1.99









