# Hourly Chime in Background vs TalkingTime

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hourly Chime in Background | TalkingTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourly-chime-in-background/id393704915/reviews)** | [4.6 (308 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talkingtime-speaking-clock/id436647496/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **308** |
| Positive reviews | 51.3% of reviews | **92.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Moon Hyuk Kang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538843419) | [Fortuisoft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/321923514) |

## What reviewers say

### Hourly Chime in Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourly-chime-in-background/id393704915)

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.

**Highlights:** Customizable hourly schedule, Multiple alert sound options, Speaking Clock feature, Reliable background operation, Simple and clean interface, Respects device volume and silent mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### TalkingTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talkingtime-speaking-clock/id436647496)

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.

**Highlights:** Audible time announcements, Hourly, half-hourly, quarter-hourly alerts, Set and forget operation, Battery efficient, Respects phone's time format

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro upgrade | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable and consistent
- 🚀 Helps with time management
- 💡 Customizable announcements
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 🚀 Keeps users on track

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional stability issues
- 🔊 Low volume of announcements
- 🔊 Limited voice options

**Reported bugs**

- Announcements not working after iOS updates
- Inconsistent behavior with music/audio playback

**Requested features**

- More frequent time announcements (e.g., every 10 minutes)
- Custom voice recording option
- Integration with calendar/scheduling apps
- Separate volume control for announcements


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hourly Chime in Background free?

Hourly Chime in Background is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is TalkingTime free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hourly Chime in Background or TalkingTime?

Hourly Chime in Background is rated higher. Hourly Chime in Background averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while TalkingTime averages 4.6 from 308 ratings.

### Do Hourly Chime in Background or TalkingTime have ads?

Neither Hourly Chime in Background nor TalkingTime shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hourly Chime in Background or TalkingTime?

Hourly Chime in Background ships an update every 25 months, and TalkingTime every 2 months. Most recently, Hourly Chime in Background was updated on September 18, 2026 and TalkingTime on September 22, 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.*