Comparison

Best Sand Timer vs Sand Timer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Best Sand Timer

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
Read full description

Digital sand timer with artistic design. Time flows and does it stylishly. This digitized hourglass can be used to time anything for up to 60 minutes. It's like having a nice looking visual indicator of how much time is left on your task. * KIDS FRIENDLY Timer visualizes time to kids and lets them feel the time. Without reading or even knowing the numbers one can look at the visualized time flow, feel it and understand how long to wait or whether to hurry up. * STAY NOTIFIED It lets you set the alarm sound that will play when the timer is finished. You can choose from 16 unique alarm sounds, melodies and loops. You’ll be notified when your time is up even if you’re using another app or your device is locked. It can also repeat the sound alarm (up to 3 times) at the given interval if it was missed/snoozed. * COLOR YOUR TIME You can easily change the timer color to fit your personal lifestyle. There are 5 color themes: turquoise, red, green, amber and pink. Just pick the one you like in the application settings. * UNIVERSAL APP Timer works both on your iPhone/iPod and iPad, contains HD graphics for retina and iPad displays and supports all screen orientations for all devices. [+Retina graphics for iPad 3rd generation] * SEE ALSO: Best Timer Beautifully designed sand timer, stylish kitchen timer, countdown/up and powerful stopwatch All in one creatively combined Best Timer application to suit all your timing needs. Search "Best Timer" on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/app/best-timer/id415656570) * There are plenty of things we really need to time, just do them the way you like! ***Important for iOS5+ devices: if there is no alarm played when the application is inactive please go to system Settings / Notifications, select the application name and configure the timer's alarms, whether they perform sound and if they're to appear on lock screen. VISIT US: smartphoneware.com

About

Sand Timer

This app provides a visually engaging and intuitive way to track time with realistic sand flow animations. It's perfect for various activities like studying, workouts, or cooking, offering customizable themes and sound alerts to keep you on track.

Highlights
  • Realistic sand flow animation
  • Adjustable timer settings
  • Multiple timers management
  • Customizable themes
  • Sound alerts
Features
Read full description

Looking for a simple, reliable timer for your activities? Whether you’re timing a study session, a workout, or simply need a quick way to track time, Sand Timer has you covered! With its realistic sand flow animation, you’ll experience the soothing and intuitive feel of a traditional hourglass, right on your phone. Sand Timer offers a simple, visually engaging way to keep track of time, whether you’re managing your productivity, setting a cooking timer, or just need a quick countdown. It’s easy to set, fun to use, and helps you stay on track for all your timing needs. Top Features You’ll Love: Sand Animation – Watch the sand flow smoothly through the timer, providing a calming and visually pleasing experience while you track your time. Adjustable Timer Settings – Set the timer for any duration you need, from seconds to hours, with the ability to quickly adjust for all types of activities. Multiple Timers – Create and manage multiple timers at once to keep track of various tasks simultaneously. Customizable Themes – Choose from a variety of themes to match your style, whether you prefer a minimalist design or a more vibrant look. Sound Alerts – Get notified when your time is up with a sound alert, making sure you never miss an important moment. Who Can Use Sand Timer? Sand Timer is perfect for anyone who needs a simple, elegant timer. Whether you’re a student needing a Pomodoro timer, a cook timing recipes, or someone just needing a visual countdown, Sand Timer is easy to use and designed to fit your needs. Download Sand Timer today and add a little more calm and focus to your day! EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Best Sand Timer4 screens
Sand Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Best Sand Timer at 46% against Sand Timer's 6%. Best Sand Timer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). Sand Timer's advantage is ratings volume (150 vs 19). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Sand Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Best Sand Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Best Sand Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sand Timer has 150 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Best Sand Timer's written reviews are positive against 6% of Sand Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Best Sand Timer ships an update every 14 months, Sand Timer every 8 months. Both last shipped on October 4, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Best Sand Timer versus Sand Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBest Sand TimerSand Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (19 ratings) — better3.8 (150 ratings)
Positive reviews45.6% of reviews — better6.5% of reviews
Number of ratings19150 — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 8 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSerhii SimkovskyiVicki Partridge

Customer experience

Best Sand Timer

All ratings19 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews149 reviews
Positive45.6%
Neutral14.8%
Negative39.6%

Sand Timer

All ratings150 ratings
Positive64.7%
Neutral8.7%
Negative26.7%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive6.5%
Neutral4.8%
Negative88.7%

Bugs and requests

Best Sand Timer

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • 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)
Show 3 more
  • App freezes when trying to change timer
  • Alarm fails to go off if other notifications occur
  • Force closes when timer ends

Requested features

10 requests
  • Display current time on screen
  • Keypad for setting timer
  • Option to hide digital timer
  • Longer timer duration (beyond 1 hour)
  • Vibrate function
Show 5 more
  • More sound options
  • Sound control on screen
  • Option to view timer when phone is locked
  • Sound while sand is pouring
  • Start timer by turning the iPad

Sand Timer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Best Sand Timer

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Sand Timer

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Subscription7 Days trial$0.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Best Sand Timer free?
Best Sand Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sand Timer free?
Sand Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Best Sand Timer or Sand Timer?
Best Sand Timer is rated higher. Best Sand Timer averages 4.2 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Sand Timer averages 3.8 from 150 ratings.
Do Best Sand Timer or Sand Timer have ads?
Sand Timer shows ads; Best Sand Timer does not.
Which is updated more often, Best Sand Timer or Sand Timer?
Best Sand Timer ships an update every 14 months, and Sand Timer every 8 months. Most recently, Best Sand Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and Sand Timer on October 4, 2026.

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