Comparison

Sandy Timer vs hourglass alarm timer

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

Head to head
About

Sandy Timer

Simulates a real sand timer using your device's orientation. Simply flip your phone to start the countdown. Tap the screen to adjust timer settings.

Highlights
  • Realistic sand timer simulation
  • Device orientation control
  • Tap to change settings
  • Simple and intuitive interface
Features
Read full description

This a real sand timer app simulator. Gravity does its job... Just turn your device upside down to start the timer! Single tap the screen to change the timer options. Make sure to turn the device orientation lock Off... and turn it upside-down!

About

hourglass alarm timer

This app simulates a customizable hourglass for various uses, from time management and study focus to meditation and interior decoration. It allows personalization of sand and hourglass appearance, offers background timer functionality with notifications, and supports saving multiple set times.

Highlights
  • Customizable sand and hourglass appearance
  • Background timer with notifications
  • Save multiple set times
  • Time management for cooking, study, and games
  • Meditation and relaxation aid
  • Decorative interior element
  • Educational tool for children
Features
Read full description

It's a normal hourglass. You can customize it a little. [Customization elements] * Falling sand color * Shape of falling sand * Sand size * Hourglass size * Hourglass background color * Alarm sound [Other functions] * Save multiple set times * Hourglass time continues even in the background * Notification when background hourglass ends It can be used for various purposes below. 1. Time management/timekeeping Cooking: Use an hourglass to measure cooking time for dishes and baked goods. Games: Used to set time limits for board games, quizzes, etc. Concentration time for studying or working: Used to encourage short periods of concentration, like the Pomodoro technique. 2. Meditation/relaxation Mindfulness: Use the time when the sand is falling to focus on meditation and deep breathing. Relax: Watching the sand slowly fall calms your mind. 3. Design/Interior Decoration: Add an accent to your space by placing an hourglass as an interior decoration. Symbolism: Used as an object to symbolize the passage of time and the importance of a moment. 4. Education/Learning Teaching children's sense of time: Used to teach children about the passage of time and the importance of time management. Science experiments: Used in school science and physics classes to teach principles of time measurement. [I want this kind of person to do it] 1. People looking for relaxation People who want to relieve stress: People who want to calm their mind by watching the passage of time as a tool to support meditation and relaxation time. People who want a relaxing pre-sleep routine: People who want to incorporate a short relaxation routine before bed. 2. Parents raising children Parents who want to develop their child's sense of time: People who want to teach their children the concept of time and use it to manage playtime. Parents who want to make cleaning and homework time fun: People who want to encourage their children to clean up and do homework in a playful way using an hourglass. 3. Health-conscious people Fitness Enthusiasts: People who want to do interval training or exercise in short bursts. People who do a lot of desk work: People who want to use this as a timer to get up regularly to prevent sitting for long periods of time. 4. People who are involved in creative activities Artists and designers: People who want to use it as a time management tool to focus on creative work. Writers and programmers: Anyone who wants to use the Pomodoro technique to stay focused. 5. People who are interested in games and education Board Game Enthusiasts: People who like to set time limits during gameplay. Teachers and educators: People who want to manage time during lessons or use it as a timer for experiments. 6. People who want to incorporate fashionable elements into their lives People who are particular about design: People who want to incorporate apps with stylish and unique interfaces into their daily lives. Interior enthusiasts: People who enjoy the hourglass design and want to take advantage of the app's interface.

Screenshots

Sandy Timer4 screens
hourglass alarm timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: hourglass alarm timer at 100% against Sandy Timer's 50%. hourglass alarm timer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and device support (3 vs 1). Sandy Timer's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Sandy Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and hourglass alarm timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

hourglass alarm timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Sandy Timer's written reviews are positive against 100% of hourglass alarm timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sandy Timer ships an update weekly, hourglass alarm timer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 20, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sandy Timer versus hourglass alarm timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSandy Timerhourglass alarm timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (6 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB98 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCesar Mejia ValeroM kajimura

Customer experience

Sandy Timer

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

hourglass alarm timer

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Sandy Timer

One-time1
  • Pro$3.99
2 purchases

hourglass alarm timer

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (continued)$0.491 Month
  • Premium (yearly continued)$5.991 Year

Questions

Is Sandy Timer free?
Sandy Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is hourglass alarm timer free?
hourglass alarm timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sandy Timer or hourglass alarm timer?
hourglass alarm timer is rated higher. Sandy Timer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while hourglass alarm timer averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Sandy Timer or hourglass alarm timer have ads?
hourglass alarm timer shows ads; Sandy Timer does not.
Which is updated more often, Sandy Timer or hourglass alarm timer?
Sandy Timer ships an update weekly, and hourglass alarm timer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sandy Timer was updated on July 20, 2026 and hourglass alarm timer on September 23, 2026.

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