Comparison

Chronodev vs DisparaTimer

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

Head to head
About

Chronodev

This app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a darkroom enlarger timer. It uses HomeKit-enabled devices to control your enlarger and safelights, offering features like manual control, metronome for dodging/burning, and automatic test strip creation.

Highlights
  • iPhone/iPad enlarger timer
  • HomeKit device control
  • Manual enlarger focusing
  • Metronome for dodging/burning
  • EV stop time adjustments
  • Automatic test strip creation
  • Voice control support
Read full description

Transform your iPhone into an enlarger timer using Chronodev. Chronodev uses HomeKit-enabled wall plugs and lightbulbs to control your enlarger and safelights. Secondhand enlarger timers can be expensive and hard to find. This one costs the price of a wi-fi wall plug. - Control your enlarger and safelight with your iPhone or iPad - Expose prints accurately using the HomeKit-enabled timer - Manual enlarger control for focusing - Use the metronome for dodging and burning - Adjust times using EV stops - Automatically create test strips with incremental exposures, and keep track of exposure times using a handy graph - Automatically turn your safelight off when exposing/focusing - Voice control support for hands-free development - Safe to use in black and white darkrooms when using iOS's built-in red color filter A HomeKit-enabled wall plug and/or lightbulb is required to use all features of this app. Some features (like a basic timer and EV stop calculations) are available without a HomeKit-enabled device.

About

DisparaTimer

Features
Read full description

DisparaTimer is a mobile app that, when connected to a Raspberry Pico W/WH, can control the exposure time of a photographic enlarger using a power relay. The physical setup is inexpensive and easy to assemble. DisparaTimer has two operation modes. The first is a traditional timer mode, where you set a specific time for each exposure. The second is designed for creating test strips with constant fractional step increments over a base time. On iPad (iPadOS 17 and later), DisparaTimer includes a landscape-only notes panel that lets you add photos or images of your test strips and make handwritten or visual annotations directly on them.

Screenshots

Chronodev3 screens
DisparaTimer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: DisparaTimer at 15.5 against Chronodev's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 7, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Chronodev versus DisparaTimer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChronodevDisparaTimer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKevin OlmatsAngel David Rodriguez

In-app purchases

None

Chronodev

No in-app purchases

None

DisparaTimer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chronodev free?
Chronodev is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DisparaTimer free?
DisparaTimer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chronodev or DisparaTimer have ads?
Neither Chronodev nor DisparaTimer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chronodev or DisparaTimer?
Chronodev ships an update monthly, and DisparaTimer monthly. Most recently, Chronodev was updated on June 7, 2026 and DisparaTimer on September 18, 2026.

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