Comparison

SHOTIMER vs Byoyomi

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

Head to head
About

SHOTIMER

Features
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SHOTIMER is a game clock app that announces your remaining time by voice. Use it for chess, shogi, Go — any two-player board game. "3 minutes left." "50 seconds… 1, 2, 3…" Leave the countdown to the character voices and keep your eyes on the board. It couldn't be simpler: make your move, then tap your side. Place your phone or tablet next to the board and you're ready for a serious match. ■ Voices for the countdown - Zundamon - Shikoku Metan - Hiroyuki - Buzzer / ECG - Mute and random options available ■ Six time controls - Sudden Death - Byoyomi - Main Time + Byoyomi - Fischer (the increment system used in official chess events) - NHK Cup Style (byoyomi with extra thinking time) - Canadian (used in Go: play a set number of moves within a set time) Main time and seconds are fully adjustable — from official tournament rules to casual blitz. ■ Features that support your game - "Per side" mode: set time and voice separately for each player - "Enlarge active side": the running player's area grows, making it easier to tap - Landscape display support — comfortable on iPad and tablets - Choose which player presses the button to start the game ■ 12 themes from traditional Japanese colors Sumi ink, iron navy, navy, hanada blue, blue-green, bamboo green, ochre, persimmon, crimson, peony, wisteria and dark brown — match your mood. ■ Available in 8 languages Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified / Traditional), Spanish, French, Portuguese and Arabic At the club, with friends, or at home with family — SHOTIMER keeps time for your games.

About

Byoyomi

Features
Read full description

A clean, flexible game clock for Shogi, Go, Chess, and other board games. Time Controls: • Byoyomi – countdown system used in Shogi and Go • Sudden Death • Fischer Increment • Consideration Time Features: • Save custom presets for quick setup • Japanese voice countdown with 8 unique characters (Japanese audio only) • Clean, distraction-free interface

Screenshots

SHOTIMER4 screens
Byoyomi4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SHOTIMER at none against Byoyomi's 1. SHOTIMER also leads on ads (none vs shown). Byoyomi's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price and 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

Both are free to download. Byoyomi sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SHOTIMER asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SHOTIMER ships an update every 2 months, Byoyomi weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 2 level
SHOTIMER versus Byoyomi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSHOTIMERByoyomi
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuki MaitaniDaisaku Inoue

In-app purchases

None

SHOTIMER

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Byoyomi

One-time1
  • 広告を削除$2.99

Questions

Is SHOTIMER free?
SHOTIMER is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Byoyomi free?
Byoyomi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SHOTIMER or Byoyomi have ads?
Byoyomi shows ads; SHOTIMER does not.
Which is updated more often, SHOTIMER or Byoyomi?
SHOTIMER ships an update every 2 months, and Byoyomi weekly. Most recently, SHOTIMER was updated on October 25, 2026 and Byoyomi on October 31, 2026.

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