# Best Sand Timer vs Sandy Timer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Best Sand Timer at none against Sandy Timer's 1. Best Sand Timer also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and ratings volume (19 vs 6). Sandy Timer's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 14 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sandy Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Best Sand Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sandy Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Best Sand Timer's written reviews are positive against 50% of Sandy Timer's.

Best Sand Timer ships an update every 14 months, Sandy Timer weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Best Sand Timer | Sandy Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-sand-timer/id501940934/reviews) | **[4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandy-timer/id6480015861/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 45.6% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Serhii Simkovskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/959904647) | [Cesar Mejia Valero](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506871861) |

## 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


### Sandy Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandy-timer/id6480015861)

Simulates a real sand timer using your device's orientation. Simply flip your phone to start the countdown. Tap the screen to adjust timer settings.

**Highlights:** Realistic sand timer simulation, Device orientation control, Tap to change settings, Simple and intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Best Sand Timer free?

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

### Is Sandy Timer free?

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

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

Sandy Timer is rated higher. Best Sand Timer averages 4.2 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Sandy Timer averages 4.5 from 6 ratings.

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

Neither Best Sand Timer nor Sandy Timer shows ads.

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

Best Sand Timer ships an update every 14 months, and Sandy Timer weekly. Most recently, Best Sand Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and Sandy Timer on September 29, 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.*