Comparison

Brew Timer vs Barista Espresso Timer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Brew Timer

This app helps you craft the perfect cup of coffee with customizable brew tracking and a vast library of recipes. Explore, create, and share your favorite brewing methods for various coffee makers.

Highlights
  • Customizable brew tracking
  • Extensive coffee recipe library
  • Support for 14+ brewing methods
  • User-created recipe sharing
  • Precise countdown timer
  • Brew logging and rating system
  • Pour rate tracker
Features
Read full description

Explore the best coffee recipes. Make great cup of coffee with fully customizeable brew tracking. Either with Aeropress, Hario V60,Clever Dripper, Chemex, French Press, Kalita Wave, Syphon Coffee, Percolator, Mellita, Bonavita Dripper, Blue Bottle Dripper,Moka Pot, Delter Press, Turkish Coffee or other custom methods; Brew Timer will help you to make great cup of coffee. Brew Timer is great coffee brewing assistant for third wave coffee brewing methods. Brew Timer allows you to create your favourite recipes easily and run them while you are making coffee. Share your recipes with others or explore the best coffee recipes for your taste. Features: * Create recipes for Aeropress,Hario V60,Turkish Coffee,Clever Dripper, Chemex, French Press, Kalita Wave, Syphon Coffee, Percolator, Mellita, Bonavita Dripper, Blue Bottle Dripper, Moka Pot, Delter Press or other custom methods * Flexible process steps that allows you to create any coffee recipe you desire * Premade professional coffee recipes * Share your recipes with others or explore the best recipes. * Clone recipes within seconds * Mark and quickly access your favourite recipes. * Run recipe simultaneously while you are brewing coffee * Pour rate tracker that helps you to control water flow * Audio assistant * Countdown timer with absolute precision * With logging system, rate and take note of your previous coffee brewings and tasting. * Thousands of user created coffee recipes with 14 different brewing methods. * Add coffee grinder for personalized grinding experience. * Continue to brew coffee in background Brew Timer has every feature that you need to make great cup of coffee. Getting started takes only a couple of minutes. 1- Select a coffee recipe 2- Grind your coffee bean 3- Start the brewing timer 4- Follow the recipe steps while brewing 5- Enjoy your great cup of coffee :) 6- Do not forget to take notes and rate your brew for your next brew. If you have any problem or suggestions please let us know. We will always be pleased to hear from you :) Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Barista Espresso Timer

This app automatically times your espresso shots by listening to your grinder and espresso machine. It precisely measures the actual brewing time, ignoring brief noises, and allows you to set target times with visual and audio alerts. It also features auto-calibration for your kitchen environment.

Highlights
  • Automatic shot timing via sound detection
  • Separate timers for grinding and brewing
  • Precise 1/100th second measurement
  • Adjustable sensitivity and target times
  • Auto-calibration for kitchen environment
  • Apple Watch app for standalone use
Features
Read full description

Espresso Timer listens to your machines and times them for you. Tap LISTEN, then make coffee. The clock starts the second your grinder or pump kicks in, stops when it goes quiet, and shows the real running time down to a hundredth of a second. Your hands stay on the machine. I built this because my espresso kept drifting. Same beans, same setting, different cup. I'd been timing by feel. Once grind time and shot time are actually measured, every morning tastes like the good one. WHAT IT DOES Two clocks · One for grinding, one for the shot. Each with its own target time and its own sensitivity · Classic watch-inspired analog dial, plus a digital readout to 1/100 of a second · Opens on last used clock Detection that holds up · The clock winds back to where the noise really began and trims the tail. You see your machine's time, not the app's reaction time · Clatter doesn't count: portafilter down, cups, spoons. Only sustained noise starts the clock, Reset anytime · Short pauses while dosing don't end anything. The clock just waits · Tip: Works best with the iPhone sitting close to your machines Target time · Your target sits on the ring as a colored segment · Tap the target button, then turn the outer ring like a click wheel. The hand jumps to your target and follows your finger. It locks again after two seconds or tap so nothing shifts by accident · Or save a good run as your new target · When you hit the desired target time the whole dial flashes and a tone sounds. The clock keeps running in case you realize that you need more Calibration · Run your grinder and your machine once. The app measures your room and both devices, then sets the trigger levels for your kitchen · Repeat it whenever you like. You can also set both sensitivities by hand, with a live level meter Small things that matter · Tap the dial to start or stop by hand · Autostart and autostop listening options · The display stays awake while the app is open. Nothing goes dark mid-shot · Haptics on every control, modern iOS 26 look, English and German – more to come APPLE WATCH · A real app on your wrist. It runs without the iPhone · Same dial, same detection. Grind and shot are two pages you swipe between, with the bean and portafilter as small marks on the face · Tap the window at three o'clock, then turn the crown. It locks again after two seconds or tap · A firm double tap on your wrist when the time is up · Target times stay synced on both devices, Device to device, no account, no internet. Switch it off in Settings if you'd rather not · Tip: set the watch's Wake Duration (Watch settings > Display & Brightness) to 70 seconds and the display stays on for the whole shot PRIVACY The microphone signal never leaves your device. Sound is reduced to a single loudness value in memory. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded. No account, no ads, no tracking, no network access. Found a bug or have an idea? Write to espresso@alex-zimmermann.com, ideally with your device and iOS version. I read everything. Privacy Policy: http://espresso.alex-zimmermann.com/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Brew Timer4 screens
Barista Espresso Timer3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Barista Espresso Timer at 100% against Brew Timer's 40%. Barista Espresso Timer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Brew Timer's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Brew Timer is free to download; Barista Espresso Timer costs $0.99 up front. Brew Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Barista Espresso Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Brew Timer ships an update every 6 days, Barista Espresso Timer daily. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Brew Timer versus Barista Espresso Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrew TimerBarista Espresso Timer
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.4 (25 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysDaily — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDurali GuderAlexander Zimmermann

Customer experience

Brew Timer

All ratings25 ratings
Positive84.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%

Barista Espresso Timer

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Brew Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Membership - 1 Month$0.991 Month
  • Premium Membership - 1 Year$9.991 Year
None

Barista Espresso Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Brew Timer free?
Brew Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Barista Espresso Timer free?
Barista Espresso Timer costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Brew Timer or Barista Espresso Timer have ads?
Brew Timer shows ads; Barista Espresso Timer does not.
Which is updated more often, Brew Timer or Barista Espresso Timer?
Brew Timer ships an update every 6 days, and Barista Espresso Timer daily. Most recently, Brew Timer was updated on October 9, 2026 and Barista Espresso Timer on October 8, 2026.

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