# Sous Chef vs Kitchen Timer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kitchen Timer at none against Sous Chef's 4. Kitchen Timer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (100% vs 90%). Sous Chef's advantage is ratings volume (338 vs 23) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Kitchen Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sous Chef has 338 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Sous Chef's written reviews are positive against 100% of Kitchen Timer's.

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, Kitchen Timer every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sous Chef | Kitchen Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sous-chef-cook-tools-and-timer/id496365430/reviews) | **[4.8 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kitchen-timer-timer-and-alarm/id1575681858/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 21 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ChuChu Train Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/415772087) | [FugaPiyo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497887610) |

## 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


### Kitchen Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kitchen-timer-timer-and-alarm/id1575681858)

This app provides a simple yet multifunctional kitchen timer with customizable alarms and notifications. It offers features like quick start, tenkey time input, and background operation, all for free.

**Highlights:** Quick start functionality, Tenkey time input, Customizable alarm sounds and volume, Vibration and tactile feedback, Background notifications, Sleep disabled setting, Dark mode

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sous Chef free?

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

### Is Kitchen Timer free?

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

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

Kitchen Timer is rated higher. Sous Chef averages 4.5 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Kitchen Timer averages 4.8 from 23 ratings.

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

Both Sous Chef and Kitchen Timer show ads.

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

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, and Kitchen Timer every 6 weeks. Most recently, Sous Chef was updated on September 19, 2026 and Kitchen Timer on September 10, 2026.

---

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