Comparison

Timer vs Zarko

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

Head to head
About

Timer

Features
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Timer - Count Focus is a productivity app that transforms your work and study sessions into a more immersive and enjoyable experience. With its unique "Pomodoro" technique, the app breaks your work into manageable chunks, typically 25-minute focused sessions, followed by short breaks, helping you stay on task and avoid burnout. Key Features: Customizable Focus Intervals: Set your ideal focus and break times to suit your working rhythm. Ambient Sounds for Better Focus: Choose from a variety of calming environments like a beach, rainy day, train ride, campfire, or country cricket to create the perfect atmosphere for concentration. Engaging Timer with Flip Animation: A minimalist, yet dynamic interface with smooth flip animations keeps your experience visually fresh and uncluttered. Gentle Reminders: Get notified when it’s time to take a break or return to work, with a selection of soothing reminder sounds to alert you. Background Functionality: Keep the timer running in the background while you focus on other tasks or apps. Whether you're working on a big project or studying for exams, Timer - Count Focus helps you build focus, maintain productivity, and manage time efficiently with a bit of serenity.

About

Zarko

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You can't trust yourself to put the phone down. So don't rely on willpower alone β€” rely on a real challenge. Zarko is a screen-time blocker with a twist: once you lock in a focus session, the way out is to prove it β€” not to quit. HOW IT WORKS β€’ Choose the apps, categories, or websites you want blocked β€” powered by Apple's official Screen Time (FamilyControls) framework. β€’ Start a focus session and get to work. Your chosen apps and sites stay locked for the full duration. β€’ Tempted to check your phone early? Complete a quick physical or mental challenge β€” shake, walk, type, solve, remember β€” to break the block before time's up. No luck involved: finish the challenge and you're unlocked. β€’ Want zero exits? Turn on Strict Mode in Settings and the give-up option stays locked until you're halfway through the session β€” the challenge becomes the only way out. BUILD A STREAK, NOT JUST A HABIT Every completed session adds to your daily streak. Miss a day and it resets β€” but your history stays. Track your weekly focus time, session count, and streak in one clean stats screen, and share your progress as a ready-to-post card. UNLOCK THEME COLORS Every successful challenge gives you a new color theme for the app β€” pure cosmetic, zero pay-to-win. Collect them all. WHY IT WORKS Traditional blockers fail because quitting is always one tap away. Zarko puts real effort between you and that tap, so staying focused becomes the easy choice β€” and if you want the door closed for real, Strict Mode removes the easy exit entirely. PRIVACY FIRST Zarko blocks apps and websites entirely on your device using Apple's Screen Time APIs. We never see which apps you use, what you type, or your browsing history β€” that data never leaves your phone. 100% FREE No ads. No subscriptions. No in-app purchases. Zarko is free to use, full stop.

Screenshots

Timer4 screens
Zarko4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Timer at every 4 days against Zarko's every 10 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timer ships an update every 4 days, Zarko every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Timer versus Zarko: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimerZarko
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days β€” betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.1 β€” better17.6
Further details β€” not scored
Size11 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCARA VN TRADE AND INVESTMENT JOINT STOCK COMPANYJaehoon Lee

In-app purchases

None

Timer

No in-app purchases

None

Zarko

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Timer free?
Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Zarko free?
Zarko is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Timer or Zarko have ads?
Neither Timer nor Zarko shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Timer or Zarko?
Timer ships an update every 4 days, and Zarko every 10 days. Most recently, Timer was updated on September 12, 2026 and Zarko on September 24, 2026.

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