Comparison

Lily pad vs Tempo

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

Tempo

This app transforms countdown timers into clear visual progress indicators, helping you stay focused on tasks like work, study, or cooking. It offers multiple visualization options and a distraction-free interface, working reliably offline without requiring an account.

Highlights
  • Multiple visualization options
  • Clean, distraction-free interface
  • Works offline
  • No account setup
  • Reliable background operation
  • Privacy-focused
Features
Read full description

If you have ever looked up and lost an hour, you do not need another number counting down. You need to see time move. Tempo turns time into something you can watch. A dandelion loses its seeds. An eclipse closes over. A snowman gives in to the sun. Glance at your phone from across the room and you know how much is left — no reading, no math. BUILT FOR TIME BLINDNESS Numbers are abstract. If your brain does not track elapsed time on its own, "20 minutes" means nothing until it is already gone. Tempo makes time spatial instead, so you feel it draining rather than having to calculate it. FROM ONE MINUTE TO ONE YEAR Most timers stop at an hour. Tempo has six scales: • MINUTE — a focus sprint or a short break • HOUR — the meeting, the work block • DAY — how much of today is actually left • MONTH — the deadline that still feels far away • SEASON — the stretch you keep meaning to use • YEAR — the one nobody shows you The longer scales run live against the real calendar. Open Tempo in August and the year is already most of the way gone. That is not a gimmick — for anyone who loses whole weeks, seeing it is the point. SEVEN VISUALIZATIONS Dandelion, Dots, Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, and Thunderstorm. Pick the one your brain actually reads, and set it as your default. ON YOUR WRIST AND HOME SCREEN An Apple Watch app and home screen widgets keep the current scale visible without unlocking anything — so checking the time stops becoming the distraction. BUILT TO STAY QUIET • No account, no sign-up, no email • Every timer works offline — no connection required • No streaks, no badges, no guilt mechanics • No ads, ever Tempo will not fix your relationship with time. It just makes time visible, so the hours stop disappearing without warning. Free to use, including the Dandelion and Dots visualizations and every scale from MINUTE through YEAR. A one-time Pro purchase adds the Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, and Thunderstorm visualizations and the SEASON scale. No subscription, ever.

Screenshots

Lily pad4 screens
Tempo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tempo at 5.0 against Lily pad's 3.7. Lily pad's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, 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. Tempo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lily pad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tempo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lily pad ships an update every 6 days, Tempo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Lily pad versus Tempo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLily padTempo
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFreek LeverFoundry24 LLC

Customer experience

Lily pad

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

Tempo

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Lily pad

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Lily pad free?
Lily pad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lily pad or Tempo?
Tempo is rated higher. Lily pad averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Tempo averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Lily pad or Tempo have ads?
Neither Lily pad nor Tempo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lily pad or Tempo?
Lily pad ships an update every 6 days, and Tempo every 2 months. Most recently, Lily pad was updated on September 28, 2026 and Tempo on September 23, 2026.

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