# Sandy Timer vs Real Hourglass

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Real Hourglass at 100% against Sandy Timer's 50%. Real Hourglass also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Sandy Timer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, 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 Real Hourglass sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Real Hourglass holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandy Timer has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Sandy Timer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Real Hourglass's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sandy Timer | Real Hourglass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandy-timer/id6480015861/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-hourglass/id6758259094/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 5 MB | 43 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) | [akira ohmachi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1338624340) |

## 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 |


### Real Hourglass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-hourglass/id6758259094)

A minimalist sand timer app that offers a realistic hourglass animation for focus, relaxation, and time management. It's designed to provide a distraction-free experience for various daily activities.

**Highlights:** Realistic hourglass animation, Intuitive interface, Focus sessions, Meditation aid, Daily routine timer, Distraction-free design

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sandy Timer free?

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

### Is Real Hourglass free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sandy Timer or Real Hourglass?

Real Hourglass is rated higher. Sandy Timer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Real Hourglass averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Sandy Timer or Real Hourglass have ads?

Real Hourglass shows ads; Sandy Timer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sandy Timer or Real Hourglass?

Sandy Timer ships an update weekly, and Real Hourglass weekly. Most recently, Sandy Timer was updated on September 29, 2026 and Real Hourglass on October 2, 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.*