# Time cal vs Pinyin Typist

The clearest difference is update cadence: Time cal at every 5 days against Pinyin Typist's every 15 months. Pinyin Typist's advantage is chart position (#196 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Time cal costs $1.99 and Pinyin Typist $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Time cal ships an update every 5 days, Pinyin Typist every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Time cal | Pinyin Typist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | — | **[2.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinyin-typist/id443069995/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#196** |
| Size | 5 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yukio Oishi](https://appshunter.io/developer/414826886) | [TroubadourWorks](https://appshunter.io/developer/443069998) |

## What reviewers say

### Time cal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-cal/id424478979)

This app offers a versatile stopwatch and timer with advanced calculation features, including frame-based timing. It's designed for professionals in media industries and students, with customizable backgrounds and shake-to-start functionality for simultaneous count-up and countdown.

**Highlights:** Stopwatch and timer functionality, Frame-based time calculation, Works in background, Customizable backgrounds, Shake to start/stop, Four distinct timing modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pinyin Typist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinyin-typist/id443069995)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

Easily type Pīnyīn with accurate tone marks using system or third-party keyboards. This app simplifies writing Mandarin Chinese expressions, even without knowing Chinese characters. It offers a quick and intuitive typing experience for learners and educators.

**Highlights:** Type Pīnyīn with tone marks, Integrates with system and third-party keyboards, Predictive text and text replacement support, Automatic tone mark placement, Easy tone mark correction, Copy and paste functionality, Supports Cantonese Yale romanization

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Time cal free?

Time cal costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pinyin Typist free?

Pinyin Typist costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Time cal or Pinyin Typist have ads?

Neither Time cal nor Pinyin Typist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Time cal or Pinyin Typist?

Time cal ships an update every 5 days, and Pinyin Typist every 15 months. Most recently, Time cal was updated on September 13, 2026 and Pinyin Typist on September 1, 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.*