# Meditation Timer | Samsara vs Mindful Timer

The clearest difference is monetization model: Mindful Timer at free against Meditation Timer | Samsara's free with in-app purchases. Mindful Timer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Meditation Timer | Samsara's advantage is ratings volume (431 vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Meditation Timer | Samsara sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Mindful Timer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mindful Timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meditation Timer | Samsara has 431 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Meditation Timer | Samsara's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mindful Timer's.

Meditation Timer | Samsara ships an update every 10 days, Mindful Timer weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meditation Timer | Samsara | Mindful Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (431 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meditation-timer-samsara/id592333521/reviews) | **[5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindful-timermeditation-timer/id6752609355/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **431** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 90.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 22 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bart Jacobs](https://appshunter.io/developer/409409242) | [Burnt Cinnamon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1840159207) |

## What reviewers say

### Meditation Timer | Samsara

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meditation-timer-samsara/id592333521)

This minimalist app provides a customizable timer for various meditation and mindfulness practices. It features calming chimes, detailed statistics, and iCloud support for seamless data syncing across devices. Designed for simplicity, it helps users focus on their practice without distractions.

**Highlights:** Customizable meditation timer, Support for various practices (mantra, mindfulness, zazen, yoga, reiki), Collection of calming chimes (Tibetan bells, singing bowls), Detailed practice statistics and progress tracking, iCloud support for data syncing across devices, Profile management for easy switching between practices

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Samsara Premium Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Samsara Premium Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Samsara Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Samsara Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Samsara Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Samsara Premium Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 👍 Elegant and uncluttered design
- 👍 High-quality bell sounds
- 👍 Customizable settings
- 👍 Integrates with Apple Health

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Timer randomly resets
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Subscription model locks out previous features
- 🔔 Intrusive reminder to leave a review

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing on launch for some users
- Chimes cutting off prematurely

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch support
- More color options for highlights
- Additional sound effects like other bells and instruments
- Ability to delete saved profiles
- Option to continue timer after initial duration


### Mindful Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindful-timermeditation-timer/id6752609355)

This app provides a simple, unguided interval timer for self-guided meditation, breathwork, and yoga practices. It features customizable timers, gentle bells, and a distraction-free interface. Save your favorite routines and track your weekly sessions without any ads or subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Multiple automatic timers, Customizable interval bells, Save preset routines, Weekly session tracking, Gentle bell sounds, Distraction-free design, Offline functionality

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Sounds | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mindful Timer Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meditation Timer | Samsara free?

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

### Is Mindful Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Meditation Timer | Samsara or Mindful Timer?

Mindful Timer is rated higher. Meditation Timer | Samsara averages 4.7 out of 5 from 431 ratings, while Mindful Timer averages 5.0 from 10 ratings.

### Do Meditation Timer | Samsara or Mindful Timer have ads?

Neither Meditation Timer | Samsara nor Mindful Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meditation Timer | Samsara or Mindful Timer?

Meditation Timer | Samsara ships an update every 10 days, and Mindful Timer weekly. Most recently, Meditation Timer | Samsara was updated on September 20, 2026 and Mindful Timer on September 13, 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.*