SHOTIMER vs Byoyomi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SHOTIMER
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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.
Byoyomi
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Byoyomi sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SHOTIMER asks for nothing beyond the download.
SHOTIMER ships an update every 2 months, Byoyomi weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SHOTIMER | Byoyomi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yuki Maitani | Daisaku Inoue |
In-app purchases
SHOTIMER
No in-app purchases
Byoyomi
- 広告を削除$2.99









