Comparison

Basic Countdown Timer vs Visual Timer

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

Head to head
About

Basic Countdown Timer

Features
Read full description

Count down to the things that matter in your day — the train you can't miss, the meeting that starts at 3pm, the school bus. Basic Countdown Timer keeps all your deadlines in one calm list. Each one ticks away on its own card, so you can see at a glance what's coming and how long you've got. Tap one for a full-screen dial that you can leave running on the side, while you get ready. WHY PEOPLE USE BASIC COUNTDOWN TIMER · Know how long you've got before an event Keep track of your time with a simple, easy-to-use interface. · All your deadlines, one glance Multiple countdowns run side by side. Active ones are sorted to the top and colour-tagged, so the next thing that matters is always the first thing you see. · Reuse the same countdown every day Set it up once, then switch it on with one tap. "Standup at 9:30" or "leave at 4:40". Then come back tomorrow, ready to go — no re-entering anything. · On your Lock Screen with Live Activities An armed countdown keeps ticking right on your Lock Screen, and a Home Screen control starts your regular countdowns in a tap. · Synced across iPhone and iPad with iCloud Set a countdown on one device, and it's waiting on your other device. Sync is automatic and private to your iCloud account, with no sign-up or setup needed. · Warned before time runs out (Pro) Ask for a nudge at 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes before the deadline — separately from the final alert, so a flight reminder and bedtime reminder can behave differently. · Make each one recognisable (Pro) Tag countdowns with a colour and a symbol — a red backpack for the school run, a plane for that flight — so you recognise them instantly, by sight or by VoiceOver. · Full-screen focus mode Tap a countdown to fill the screen with the dial. No controls, no clutter — just the time you have left. · A finished alert, not a silent failure When time is up, the countdown stays on screen with a chime until you acknowledge it. Nothing quietly expires while you're not looking. Basic Countdown Timer is built to feel at home on iOS: Live Activities, a Lock Screen presence, haptics, Dynamic Type, VoiceOver labels throughout, and the familiar swipe-to-delete. Your countdowns sync over iCloud, privately, to every iPhone and iPad signed in to your Apple ID. It's free to time three countdowns. Countdown Pro unlocks unlimited countdowns, colour and symbol tags, and early notifications, with one simple purchase, and no subscription.

About

Visual Timer

This app offers a visually engaging countdown timer with multiple unique styles to represent the passage of time. Customize colors, backgrounds, and alarm sounds for various activities like focus work, cooking, or kids' routines.

Highlights
  • Nine unique visual timer styles
  • Customizable colors and backgrounds
  • Over 50 alarm sound options
  • Adjustable durations from seconds to hours
  • Presets and recent duration quick-picks
  • Designed for focus, cooking, kids, and workouts
Features
Read full description

Visual Timer - Time you can actually see Make every minute count with a timer that's actually worth looking at. Visual Timer turns the wait into the show: nine beautiful, hand-crafted styles that each visualize time in a different way. Pick your style: • Circular - a classic clock-face wedge that drains as time runs out • Liquid - a wave-tinted pool that drains as the clock ticks • Pixel - a grid of pixels disappears one by one • Rain - thousands of tiny grains rain down and pile up to fill the screen • Blocks - falling pieces stack up to fill the screen • Maze - a snake winds across the screen until it fills every cell • Rings - concentric rainbow rings, one per minute, leaving a colored trail • Sun - the sun arcs across the sky, drifting from dawn through dusk to night • Path - a dot glides along a trail — follow the built-in curve or draw your own • Spread - a colorful infection blooms from a few seeds until it fills the screen Make it yours: • Pick any color for the timer fill or background • Use your own photos as a backdrop or foreground • Choose from 50+ alarm sounds, from a gentle chime to a rooster • Custom durations from a few seconds to several hours • Quick-pick recent durations and built-in presets Built for any moment: • Focus and deep work - visual progress without distraction • Cooking - set it on the counter and just glance over • Kids - turn time-outs, brushing teeth, or screen-time limits into something they actually watch • Workouts - clear interval timing without staring at numbers • Meditation - calm, smooth visuals that don't pull attention • Studying - Pomodoro sessions that look like part of the desk A timer that feels at home on your phone. Designed top-to-bottom for iOS - Liquid Glass controls, fluid animations, and dark-mode-first aesthetics.

Screenshots

Basic Countdown Timer4 screens
Visual Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Basic Countdown Timer at none against Visual Timer's 1. Visual Timer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 24 months) and iOS requirement (18.4 vs 26.0). 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. Visual Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Basic Countdown Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Basic Countdown Timer ships an update every 24 months, Visual Timer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Basic Countdown Timer versus Visual Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBasic Countdown TimerVisual Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.6 (46 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—46 — better
Update frequencyEvery 24 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas DonohueApplorium Ltd

In-app purchases

None

Basic Countdown Timer

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Visual Timer

One-time1
  • Visual Timer Unlock$5.99

Questions

Is Basic Countdown Timer free?
Basic Countdown Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Visual Timer free?
Visual Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Basic Countdown Timer or Visual Timer have ads?
Neither Basic Countdown Timer nor Visual Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Basic Countdown Timer or Visual Timer?
Basic Countdown Timer ships an update every 24 months, and Visual Timer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Basic Countdown Timer was updated on October 6, 2026 and Visual Timer on September 20, 2026.

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