Hourly Chime in Background vs TalkingTime
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hourly Chime in Background
This utility app provides gentle hourly reminders to help you stay on track throughout the day. Customize your schedule, choose alert sounds, and let it run quietly in the background to improve focus and build routines.
- Customizable hourly schedule
- Multiple alert sound options
- Speaking Clock feature
- Reliable background operation
- Simple and clean interface
- Respects device volume and silent mode
Read full descriptionHide full description
Hourly Chime – Stay on Track with Gentle Hourly Reminders Hourly Chime is a simple and reliable utility that helps you stay aware of time throughout the day. Whether you're building better routines, improving focus, or simply want a friendly reminder every hour, Hourly Chime makes it effortless. Choose the hours you want, pick your preferred sound, and let the app run quietly in the background. Perfect for work, study, productivity, and daily rhythm. Features - Customizable Schedule: Select the exact hours you want the chime to play. - Multiple Alert Sounds: Choose from a variety of chimes, bells, clocks, and more—including a “Speaking Clock” option that announces the time aloud. - Runs Reliably in the Background: Alerts are delivered every hour, even when the app isn’t open. - Clean & Simple Interface: Designed to get you set up in seconds with minimal effort. - Respectful of Your Settings: Alerts follow your device’s volume and silent mode preferences. How It Works 1. Open Hourly Chime. 2. Turn on the Chime switch at the top. 3. Select the hours you want chimes to play. 4. Pick your preferred alert tone. 5. Let the app run in the background—alerts will automatically trigger every hour. Hourly Chime is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to stay mindful of time without constantly checking their phone. If you have suggestions or feedback, feel free to reach out!
TalkingTime
This app announces the current time audibly at user-defined intervals, such as hourly, half-hourly, or quarter-hourly. It operates efficiently in the background after initial setup, conserving battery life. The app adheres to your phone's 12-hour or 24-hour time format.
- Audible time announcements
- Hourly, half-hourly, quarter-hourly alerts
- Set and forget operation
- Battery efficient
- Respects phone's time format
Read full descriptionHide full description
• TalkingTime speaks the time on the hour, half-hour and/or quarter-hour. • "Set and forget". The app only runs during setup so you can do other stuff with your phone, and it won't run down your battery. • TalkingTime respects the 12 (AM/PM) or 24-hour time setting of your phone. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://www.fortuisoft.com/talkingtime/Privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: TalkingTime at 93% against Hourly Chime in Background's 51%. TalkingTime also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 25 months) and ratings volume (308 vs 5). Hourly Chime in Background's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ads 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. TalkingTime sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Hourly Chime in Background asks for nothing beyond the download.
Hourly Chime in Background holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TalkingTime has 308 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Hourly Chime in Background's written reviews are positive against 93% of TalkingTime's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Hourly Chime in Background ships an update every 25 months, TalkingTime every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hourly Chime in Background | TalkingTime |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (5 ratings) — better | 4.6 (308 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 51.3% of reviews | 92.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 308 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Moon Hyuk Kang | Fortuisoft LLC |
Customer experience
Hourly Chime in Background
TalkingTime
Bugs and requests
Hourly Chime in Background
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
TalkingTime
Reported bugs
2 issues- Announcements not working after iOS updates
- Inconsistent behavior with music/audio playback
Requested features
4 requests- More frequent time announcements (e.g., every 10 minutes)
- Custom voice recording option
- Integration with calendar/scheduling apps
- Separate volume control for announcements
In-app purchases
Hourly Chime in Background
No in-app purchases
TalkingTime
- Pro upgrade7 Days trial$1.991 Month
Questions
Is Hourly Chime in Background free?
Is TalkingTime free?
Which has better reviews, Hourly Chime in Background or TalkingTime?
Do Hourly Chime in Background or TalkingTime have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hourly Chime in Background or TalkingTime?
Other comparisons
