# Best Sand Timer vs Timer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Best Sand Timer at none against Timer's 3. Best Sand Timer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Timer's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 14 months) and review sentiment (75% vs 46%). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Best Sand Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 81 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Best Sand Timer's written reviews are positive against 75% of Timer's.

Best Sand Timer ships an update every 14 months, Timer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Best Sand Timer | Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-sand-timer/id501940934/reviews) | **[4.4 (81 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-kitchen-timer-and-stopwatch/id1085996619/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **81** |
| Positive reviews | 45.6% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Serhii Simkovskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/959904647) | [woodsmall inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/708077492) |

## What reviewers say

### Best Sand Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-sand-timer/id501940934)

A digital hourglass timer that visually represents the passage of time. It's designed to be kid-friendly, offers customizable alarm sounds, and allows users to personalize the timer's color. This universal app provides a stylish way to manage tasks and stay notified.

**Highlights:** Digital hourglass visualization, Kid-friendly time perception, Customizable alarm sounds (16 options), Notification even when inactive, Color themes for timer customization, Universal app for iPhone and iPad

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Visually appealing sand timer
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Good for focus and visual timing
- 👍 Customizable colors
- 👍 Works well for kids and educational purposes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No sound/alarm issues
- 🐛 Alignment and graphics issues
- 🐛 Maximum timer limit of 1 hour
- 🐛 Ads can be intrusive
- 🐛 App crashes/freezes

**Reported bugs**

- No sound when timer reaches zero
- Sand not aligned with hourglass
- Graphics not aligned properly
- Buttons partially off screen
- App not configured for certain iPhone screens (e.g., XR)

**Requested features**

- Display current time on screen
- Keypad for setting timer
- Option to hide digital timer
- Longer timer duration (beyond 1 hour)
- Vibrate function


### Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-kitchen-timer-and-stopwatch/id1085996619)

This utility app provides a simple and stylish timer and stopwatch. It offers background notifications, customizable themes and alarm sounds, and vibration options. An optional plugin can remove ads.

**Highlights:** Background timer notifications, Selectable theme colors, Selectable alarm sounds, Vibration on/off, Tablet support

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly plan | $0.49 | per month |
| Annual plan | $5.99 | per year |
| Pay in full | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Best Sand Timer free?

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

### Is Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Best Sand Timer or Timer?

Timer is rated higher. Best Sand Timer averages 4.2 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Timer averages 4.4 from 81 ratings.

### Do Best Sand Timer or Timer have ads?

Timer shows ads; Best Sand Timer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Best Sand Timer or Timer?

Best Sand Timer ships an update every 14 months, and Timer fortnightly. Most recently, Best Sand Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and Timer on October 10, 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.*