Comparison

Lily pad vs Gentle Timer

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

Head to head
About

Lily pad

This app offers a gentle approach to time management, reducing stress during daily tasks like meal prep or getting ready. It aids in building routines, overcoming procrastination, and achieving a better activity balance.

Highlights
  • Manually adjust visual timer
  • Create multiple timers
  • Distraction-free time tracking
  • Build routines
  • Reduce stress with time management
Features
Read full description

Enjoy a gentle time awareness by having our visual timer as an aid. We created this app to have less stress during activities that require time management. Like preparing to go outside or making a meal. It also helps to build up routines, to get started with things one postpones, or get a better balance between activities. Features: - Manually adjust your visual timer - Create multiple timers - Keep track of the time, free from distraction

About

Gentle Timer

This app offers a visually appealing, ad-free timer for focus, productivity, and managing children's routines. It supports various timer types, including countdown, Pomodoro, and interval, with extensive customization options for backgrounds, music, and themes. It also includes helpful everyday tools like a calculator and breathing exercises.

Highlights
  • Visual countdown timers
  • Pomodoro focus sessions
  • Interval training timers
  • Multi timer support
  • Customizable backgrounds and music
  • Everyday utility tools
Features
Read full description

Gentle Timer is a cheerful timer with cute animated characters. Set a time, and a character walks across the screen as the timer counts down. When it reaches the other side, time is up. You can always see how much time is left. • Pick a cute character, an animated background, and calming music. • Your character can leave a trail of sparkles, rubber ducks, or baby chicks. • A race car can drive around the timer and finish when time is up. • Choose a pet to pop up and cheer you on. • Your pet also shows on your Lock Screen, Home Screen, and Dynamic Island. • Fun animations play when your timer starts and when it ends. Use it for brushing teeth, homework, cooking, reading, or a short break at work. It also has a stopwatch, breathing exercises, and a Pomodoro timer for work and breaks. You can run more than one timer at once, too. There is also a simple Apple Watch timer. Free to download, with no ads and no subscription. Unlock more characters, pets, backgrounds, and music with a one-time purchase.

Screenshots

Lily pad4 screens
Gentle Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Gentle Timer at 100% against Lily pad's 50%. Gentle Timer also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (378 vs 3). Lily pad's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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. Gentle Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lily pad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Gentle Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gentle Timer has 378 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Lily pad's written reviews are positive against 100% of Gentle Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lily pad ships an update every 6 days, Gentle Timer every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Lily pad versus Gentle Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLily padGentle Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)4.6 (378 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3378 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB211 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFreek LeverJOHNNY LI

Customer experience

Lily pad

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%

Gentle Timer

All ratings378 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Lily pad

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Gentle Timer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • No sound issues reported
  • Seconds not displayed on countdown
  • Landscape mode not working

Requested features

8 requests
  • More free options
  • Landscape mode support
  • Ability to set specific seconds
  • Toggle off motion on settings menu
  • Cat character option
Show 3 more
  • View of all timers set all time
  • Ability to create 'Goals' (e.g., set 40 hours)
  • Dinosaur character option

In-app purchases

None

Lily pad

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Gentle Timer

One-time1
  • Go Premium$4.99

Questions

Is Lily pad free?
Lily pad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gentle Timer free?
Gentle Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lily pad or Gentle Timer?
Gentle Timer is rated higher. Lily pad averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Gentle Timer averages 4.6 from 378 ratings.
Do Lily pad or Gentle Timer have ads?
Neither Lily pad nor Gentle Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lily pad or Gentle Timer?
Lily pad ships an update every 6 days, and Gentle Timer every 2 days. Most recently, Lily pad was updated on September 28, 2026 and Gentle Timer on October 14, 2026.

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