# Sous Chef vs Cool Kitchen Timer

The clearest difference is rating: Cool Kitchen Timer at 5.0 against Sous Chef's 4.5. Cool Kitchen Timer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). Sous Chef's advantage is ratings volume (338 vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sous Chef sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Cool Kitchen Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cool Kitchen Timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sous Chef has 338 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, Cool Kitchen Timer every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sous Chef | Cool Kitchen Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sous-chef-cook-tools-and-timer/id496365430/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cool-kitchen-timer/id1024567829/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | **6.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ChuChu Train Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/415772087) | [Serhii Simkovskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/959904647) |

## What reviewers say

### Sous Chef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sous-chef-cook-tools-and-timer/id496365430)

This kitchen helper offers a suite of tools for meal preparation, including multiple configurable timers that function even when the app is closed. It also features a servings calculator and a handy conversion chart to simplify cooking tasks.

**Highlights:** 5 configurable timers, Timers work in background, Servings calculator, Popular conversions chart, Stores notes and favorite websites

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KS - Remove Ad Banner | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Reference Entries | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enable All Timers | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Features | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⏱️ Multiple simultaneous timers (5 timers)
- 🏷️ Ability to label each timer
- 📱 Portable and convenient to use
- 🔊 Loud and audible alerts
- 📊 Useful conversion charts included

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Inconsistent alert volume levels
- 🔔 Alert only rings briefly then shows notification
- 📵 Doesn't ring when phone is locked
- 📺 No landscape mode support
- 🎵 Limited and repetitive alarm sounds

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently during use
- Timer doesn't alert when phone is in lock mode
- Accidental timer reset when phone placed in pocket
- Pop-up ads appear during timer setup
- Free version upgrade doesn't convert to Pro (requires repurchase)

**Requested features**

- Custom alarm sounds for each timer
- Different ringtones/tones for different timers
- Count-up feature after timer reaches zero
- Larger readout/display text
- Cooking temperature reference charts


### Cool Kitchen Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cool-kitchen-timer/id1024567829)

An elegant kitchen timer with animated visuals for easy time tracking during cooking. It offers visual and sound notifications, works in lock mode, and supports durations from seconds to 100 hours. Designed for everyday use, it's user-friendly for all ages.

**Highlights:** Animated time flow, Visual and sound notifications, Works in lock/sleep mode, Wide time duration range, Counts time past completion, User-friendly design

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sous Chef free?

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

### Is Cool Kitchen Timer free?

Cool Kitchen Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sous Chef or Cool Kitchen Timer?

Cool Kitchen Timer is rated higher. Sous Chef averages 4.5 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Cool Kitchen Timer averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Sous Chef or Cool Kitchen Timer have ads?

Sous Chef shows ads; Cool Kitchen Timer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sous Chef or Cool Kitchen Timer?

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, and Cool Kitchen Timer every 6 months. Most recently, Sous Chef was updated on October 2, 2026 and Cool Kitchen Timer on September 9, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*