# Meditation Timer | Samsara vs Simple Zazen Timer

The clearest difference is price: Meditation Timer | Samsara at Free against Simple Zazen Timer's $3.99. Meditation Timer | Samsara also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). Simple Zazen Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and chart position (#185 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Meditation Timer | Samsara is free to download; Simple Zazen Timer costs $3.99 up front. Meditation Timer | Samsara sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Simple Zazen Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Meditation Timer | Samsara against 4.8 for Simple Zazen Timer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 435 and 1.2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Meditation Timer | Samsara's written reviews are positive against 86% of Simple Zazen Timer's.

Meditation Timer | Samsara ships an update every 10 days, Simple Zazen Timer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meditation Timer | Samsara | Simple Zazen Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (435 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meditation-timer-samsara/id592333521/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-zazen-timer/id796940852/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 435 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.6% of reviews** | 86.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#185** |
| Size | 22 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bart Jacobs](https://appshunter.io/developer/409409242) | [Pawel Urbanek](https://appshunter.io/developer/796940855) |

## 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


### Simple Zazen Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-zazen-timer/id796940852)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Paid · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

This app provides a minimalist timer for meditation and mindfulness practice. Its elegant design and simple interface promote calm and focus during timed sessions. It's ideal for daily meditation or any activity requiring a gentle, timed reminder.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, Simple user interface, Gong sound, Timed sessions, Daily practice support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🧘‍♂️ Simple and elegant design
- 🔔 Gentle chime sound
- ⏱️ Straightforward timer functionality
- 🧠 Focused meditation experience
- 🧘‍♀️ Perfect for Zazen practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 Doesn't work on silent mode
- 🔔 Chime sound could be improved
- ⏱️ Limited interval options

**Reported bugs**

- Timer not working on screen lock
- No sound when timer ends

**Requested features**

- Customizable chime sounds
- More interval options
- Integration with Health/Fitness apps
- Dark mode theme
- Longer chime duration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meditation Timer | Samsara free?

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

### Is Simple Zazen Timer free?

Simple Zazen Timer costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Simple Zazen Timer is rated higher. Meditation Timer | Samsara averages 4.7 out of 5 from 435 ratings, while Simple Zazen Timer averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Meditation Timer | Samsara or Simple Zazen Timer have ads?

Neither Meditation Timer | Samsara nor Simple Zazen Timer shows ads.

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

Meditation Timer | Samsara ships an update every 10 days, and Simple Zazen Timer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Meditation Timer | Samsara was updated on October 24, 2026 and Simple Zazen Timer on October 26, 2026.

---

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