Comparison

ColorDev Timer vs dial

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

Head to head
About

ColorDev Timer

Features
Read full description

ColorDev Timer is designed for analog photographers developing color film (C-41) who want a clear, reliable, and distraction-free workflow. Choose your development kit, enter the total chemistry volume, how many rolls have already been processed, and whether you’re pushing or pulling film. The app calculates the timings and guides you through each development phase with a clear, lab-friendly timer. All development phases are listed with their individual durations, and the current phase is clearly highlighted. You can start any phase with a single tap and reset the entire process whenever needed. ColorDev Timer also tracks chemical usage, helping you know when your chemistry is approaching its recommended limits. Key features: β€’ Phase-based development timer β€’ Push / pull support β€’ Development kit and volume selection β€’ Roll usage tracking β€’ Clean interface suitable for darkroom use β€’ Designed for real analog workflows β€’ App for Apple Watch No ads. No accounts. No clutter. Just analog photography.

About

dial

Features
Read full description

Film development, your way. dial is a focused film development timer for iPhone and iPad. Keep your chemistry in view, set up your process and give each bath the time it needs. STAY WITH THE PROCESS A large, clear countdown shows your current step and total time remaining. Between baths, dial pauses until you are ready to start the next step. EVERY STEP. YOUR WAY. Create custom steps and adjust their durations to match your process. Save your setup as a preset and return to it for your next roll. KNOW YOUR CHEMISTRY Keep chemical mix dates and processed-roll counts together. Connect a saved preset to a chemical so your setup is ready when you are. A GLANCE. BACK TO IT. Follow the countdown on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island on supported devices. Allow alarms to receive step alerts while dial is in the background. MADE FOR YOUR WORKSPACE Follow your system appearance or choose Light or Dark Mode. Sound and haptic settings let you choose your cues. No account required. Your inventory, presets and timer settings stay on your device. Set step times to match your film and chemical instructions.

Screenshots

ColorDev Timer4 screens
dial4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: dial at none against ColorDev Timer's 1. dial also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). ColorDev Timer's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.5). On price, ads 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. ColorDev Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. dial asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ColorDev Timer ships an update every 3 months, dial every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
ColorDev Timer versus dial: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColorDev Timerdial
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 β€” better26.5
Further details β€” not scored
Size8 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAngel David RodriguezMICHAEL CHEN

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ColorDev Timer

One-time1
  • Buy me a coffee$2.99
None

dial

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ColorDev Timer free?
ColorDev Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is dial free?
dial is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ColorDev Timer or dial have ads?
Neither ColorDev Timer nor dial shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ColorDev Timer or dial?
ColorDev Timer ships an update every 3 months, and dial every 5 days. Most recently, ColorDev Timer was updated on November 12, 2026 and dial on November 13, 2026.

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