# Sous Chef vs Best Kitchen Timer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sous Chef at 90% against Best Kitchen Timer's 38%. Sous Chef also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months). Best Kitchen Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Sous Chef holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sous Chef has 338 ratings behind it against 9, 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 38% of Best Kitchen Timer's.

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, Best Kitchen Timer every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sous Chef | Best Kitchen Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sous-chef-cook-tools-and-timer/id496365430/reviews)** | [2.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-kitchen-timer/id505102132/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **90.0% of reviews** | 38.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | **8.0** |
| 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


### Best Kitchen Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-kitchen-timer/id505102132)

This app provides a stylish and visual timer for cooking and other activities up to 60 minutes. It offers customizable alarm sounds and colors, and can notify you even when the app is not active or the device is locked. It's designed to be kid-friendly and visually engaging.

**Highlights:** Visual time indicators, Customizable alarm sounds, Background notifications, Repeat alarm option, Kid-friendly time visualization, Customizable color themes

**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 Best Kitchen Timer free?

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

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

Sous Chef is rated higher. Sous Chef averages 4.5 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Best Kitchen Timer averages 2.4 from 9 ratings.

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

Sous Chef shows ads; Best Kitchen Timer does not.

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

Sous Chef ships an update every 3 months, and Best Kitchen Timer every 14 months. Most recently, Sous Chef was updated on September 19, 2026 and Best Kitchen Timer on September 17, 2026.

---

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