UpDownCounter vs Hourglass
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
UpDownCounter
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The very easy to use counter for both counting up and counting down. A big, easy to find, touch button accompanied by a click sound, makes it possible to use without need to focus at the screen. Tap the button and count upwards. A tap at zero button resets to zero. Correction button for up or down depending of mode. Insert a number, execute, and the counter counts backwards to zero where a ping is heard. Button for +10 intended for approximate counting of a large amount. Last state is saved until next session.
Hourglass
A minimalistic countdown clock app designed for iPhone. It offers a clean interface with a visual progress indicator and supports multiple time units. Easily share countdowns and receive notifications when events conclude.
- Minimalistic design
- Multiple time units
- Visual progress indicator
- Unlimited countdowns
- Sharable content
- Push notifications
- Notification Center widget
- Apple Watch compatibility
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When time doesn't fly, countdown in style with Hourglass. Hourglass is a minimalistic countdown clock for iPhone. It's simplistic, easy to use, and has a beautiful design. Features: - Beautiful, Minimal Design: The flagship feature of Hourglass is its incredible design. The sleek, black background blends seamlessly with the device bezel. No complicated features or in-app purchases, just a clear design with easily readable text. - Multiple Time Units: Simply tap the time remaining to switch between seconds, minutes, hours, and days. - Visual Progress Indicator: The beautiful blue ring surrounding the time indicates the progress of the time remaining to an event. - Unlimited Countdowns: Countdown to as many events as your heart desires. Simply swipe left or right to switch countdowns, and get an overview of all your countdowns by going back to the Countdowns list - Sharable Content: Easily E-mail, Text, or Tweet the time left to an event by tapping the Share icon. - Push Notifications: Get notified when a countdown finally finishes. - Notification Center Widget: Instead of having to open Hourglass, just swipe down to view your Countdowns in the Notification Centre. - Compatible with Apple Watch: Now, you can easily view your countdowns quickly and easily, right on your wrist!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Hourglass at Free against UpDownCounter's $0.99. Hourglass also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (8.2 vs 15.6). On ads, in-app purchases 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
Hourglass is free to download; UpDownCounter costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
UpDownCounter ships an update every 6 months, Hourglass fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | UpDownCounter | Hourglass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 4.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 8.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | domesticusdevelop | Mat Cartmill |
In-app purchases
UpDownCounter
No in-app purchases
Hourglass
No in-app purchases









