# Voice Over Timer vs Penlock

The clearest difference is ads: Penlock at none against Voice Over Timer's shown. Voice Over Timer's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Voice Over Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Penlock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Voice Over Timer ships an update every 3 months, Penlock every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Voice Over Timer | Penlock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voice-over-timer/id645775661/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **20** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 50 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Takafumi AMANO](https://appshunter.io/developer/581065340) | [PHUC HOANG BACH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1872611539) |

## What reviewers say

### Voice Over Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voice-over-timer/id645775661)

This app provides spoken announcements of remaining time, even when running in the background or with music playing. A widget allows for quick time checks, making it ideal for situations where screen visibility is limited.

**Highlights:** Spoken time announcements, Background operation, Music playback compatibility, Widget for time checks, Multiple voice options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Penlock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penlock-private-journal/id6759357162)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Penlock Lifetime | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Voice Over Timer free?

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

### Is Penlock free?

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

### Do Voice Over Timer or Penlock have ads?

Voice Over Timer shows ads; Penlock does not.

### Which is updated more often, Voice Over Timer or Penlock?

Voice Over Timer ships an update every 3 months, and Penlock every 4 months. Most recently, Voice Over Timer was updated on November 13, 2026 and Penlock on November 9, 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.*