Comparison

Gong Timer vs Roundbell

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

Head to head
About

Gong Timer

Features
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Gong Timer supports time-based practices like mindfulness, tai chi, and meditation through structured, non-intrusive sound cues. Sessions are built around milestones, which divide time into meaningful phases, and optional waymarks, which provide gentle reference points along the way. Sound cues are quiet and non-intrusive, guiding without interrupting the flow. Core Features: - Create timers using milestones and optional waymarks - Choose from a curated set of sound cues - Session progress shown on the Lock Screen with Live Activity - Designed to preserve your attention throughout practice Begin with up to three timers. Add more capabilities later if your practice expands. Mindfulness is within. Created for Mindfulness Practitioners, Gong Timer is part of a broader approach that sees mindfulness as something woven into daily life, not separate from it. It helps you hold a mental space, transition with intention, and remain grounded during the passing moments of your day. Also, you can read our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy here: https://intenvix.com/gong-terms https://intenvix.com/gong-privacy-policy

About

Roundbell

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Roundbell is a timer for people who hold a room. It was built for men's circles, and it suits anything run on shared time: sharing rounds, meditation sittings, workshops, supervision groups. Set the length, choose where the bells fall, and put the phone down. THE BELLS Two recorded Tibetan singing bowls, one deeper and one lit. Pick which one opens the session and which one closes it. Tap either bowl to hear it before you commit. Or open in silence. A facilitator has usually just finished speaking, and a gong across that is the last thing the room needs, so starting without one is a single tap. BELLS ALONG THE WAY Place bells inside the session without watching the clock: • Midpoint: one bell at the halfway mark • 20 seconds to end: a gentle warning before time is up • By participants: enter how many people are in the circle and the session divides evenly between them, with a bell at each handover • Any moment you choose: type it in, and the bell lands there Bells hold what you asked for, not a number of seconds. Change the length of the session and the midpoint is still the midpoint. SETTING THE TIME Tap the clock and type a duration. Press and hold plus or minus to run through the minutes. Or take one of six lengths facilitators actually use. SAVED SETUPS Build a session once and save it under a name: check-in, focus, closing round. Load it with a tap. Mark one and the app opens on it every time. WHILE IT RUNS • The bells ring even when the phone is on silent. The bell is the point • The screen stays awake, so the time is always visible • The clock keeps correct time even if the phone locks mid-session • Add time without stopping, for a round that was interrupted • Restart from the timer screen, not from the settings • Turn the phone on its side for a clock the far side of the circle can read • When the session ends, one button rings the closing bowl again, for as long as the circle needs LIGHT AND DARK A dark theme for a dim room, a light one for daylight, or follow the phone and let it change at dusk on its own. QUIET BY DESIGN No account. No sign-up. No analytics, no advertising, no tracking of any kind. Roundbell collects nothing at all. Your settings never leave your device. It works offline. Free, with no purchases inside. Made with love for the community, by Daniel Lerner, men's circle facilitator.

Screenshots

Gong Timer3 screens
Roundbell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Roundbell at none against Gong Timer's 2. Roundbell also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

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

Both are free to download. Gong Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Roundbell asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gong Timer ships an update every 9 months, Roundbell every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
Gong Timer versus Roundbell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGong TimerRoundbell
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIntenvix, Inc.Daniel Lerner

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Gong Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Practitioner (monthly)$3.991 Month
  • Practitioner (annual)$39.991 Year
None

Roundbell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gong Timer free?
Gong Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Roundbell free?
Roundbell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Gong Timer or Roundbell have ads?
Neither Gong Timer nor Roundbell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Gong Timer or Roundbell?
Gong Timer ships an update every 9 months, and Roundbell every 3 days. Most recently, Gong Timer was updated on October 12, 2026 and Roundbell on October 11, 2026.

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