# Sandy Timer vs hourglass alarm timer

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sandy Timer | hourglass alarm timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandy-timer/id6480015861/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourglass-alarm-timer/id6670145634/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cesar Mejia Valero](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506871861) | [M kajimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138663828) |

## What reviewers say

### Sandy Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandy-timer/id6480015861)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


### hourglass alarm timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourglass-alarm-timer/id6670145634)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (continued) | $0.49 | per month |
| Premium (yearly continued) | $5.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*