Comparison

Messy Monsters vs Kids Visual Timer

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

Head to head
About

Messy Monsters

Features
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Mornings without the rush. Bedtimes without the nagging. With Messy Monsters, kids can see for themselves what needs doing, from brushing teeth and getting dressed to pajamas and lights out. They check it off, and you stop repeating yourself. For kids aged 4–12. Made by three parents, one of them a special education teacher. You choose tasks together, such as a morning routine, bedtime routine, homework or tidying up, and your child follows them in their own view. Every completed task brings them closer to the treasure chest on the Gold Journey. That makes routines fun to do and easier to stick with. MORNINGS AND BEDTIME • Mornings: a clear checklist to get out the door on time, without you prompting every step • Bedtime: the same steps every evening make bedtime calmer and more predictable • The Messy Song: our own music for winding down before sleep HOW IT WORKS • Pick ready-made tasks or create your own, daily or weekly • Get inspired by tasks other families use • Your child checks off tasks in the kids' view • Tasks earn gold on the Gold Journey toward a treasure chest, about a week away • At the chest, money goes into the piggy bank and new avatars and backgrounds unlock • Add an automatic weekly or monthly allowance that also goes into the piggy bank • Reminders help you stay on track WHY IT WORKS The app is built on positive reinforcement, clarity and predictability, principles well supported by research on children's behavior and used in many parenting programs. We've taken that knowledge, as parents and through our work in special education, and made it easy to use every day. You agree on tasks together, and once a routine sticks you move on to the next one. Small steps that last, even during busy weeks. FEATURES • Kids' view focused on today's tasks • Parent view with weekly overview and settings • Share your child with other adults, across two homes or with grandparents • Rewards, piggy bank and automatic allowance • Avatars and backgrounds your child picks • Task inspiration from other families • Reminders • The Messy Song for winding down PRICING Start for free and see how the app works for your family. Then continue with Premium, monthly or yearly. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled. We care about kids' screen time. Messy Monsters is an app you use together, for a few minutes a day. We're parents too, and we know how it can be. You're not alone, and you're always welcome to reach out if you'd like help getting started or keeping your routines going. Terms of Use: https://www.messymonsters.se/termsofuse/ Privacy Policy: https://www.messymonsters.se/privacy-policy-en/

About

Kids Visual Timer

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TickTod helps kids see time, move through routines, and feel proud when a timer is done. Built for parents, caregivers, and families, TickTod turns countdowns into visual moments kids can watch and understand. Use it for bedtime, getting ready, brushing teeth, cleanup, homework, reading, screen time, quiet time, and the everyday transitions that need a clear finish line. Visual timers for home routines Start colorful countdowns quickly, save favorite routine presets, or switch to stopwatch mode when counting up works better. Progress that feels motivating Completed timers can become stars, streaks, badges, and goals, giving kids a small win to come back to. Personal for each child Create child profiles with their own colors, avatars, rewards, and progress so each timer feels familiar. Made to fit your family Choose themes, backgrounds, sounds, app icons, and timer animations. Use reduced-motion and sensory-friendly options when your family needs a calmer timer. Parent-friendly by design Protect parent settings with app lock options. Core family setup, profiles, timer history, rewards, and settings stay on your device, and optional analytics can be turned off in Privacy settings. Download TickTod and make the next routine easier to see, start, and celebrate. Privacy Policy: https://ticktod.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://ticktod.app/terms Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Messy Monsters4 screens
Kids Visual Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Messy Monsters at 15.1 against Kids Visual Timer's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Messy Monsters sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Kids Visual Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Messy Monsters ships an update fortnightly, Kids Visual Timer every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Messy Monsters versus Kids Visual Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMessy MonstersKids Visual Timer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB148 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMessy Monsters ABJorge Avila

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Messy Monsters

Subscriptions2
  • Premium - Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Premium - Yearly$22.991 Year
4 purchases

Kids Visual Timer

Subscriptions3
  • Tick Tod Premium Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Tick Tod Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Tick Tod Premium Annual7 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Tick Tod Premium Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Messy Monsters free?
Messy Monsters is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kids Visual Timer free?
Kids Visual Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Messy Monsters or Kids Visual Timer have ads?
Neither Messy Monsters nor Kids Visual Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Messy Monsters or Kids Visual Timer?
Messy Monsters ships an update fortnightly, and Kids Visual Timer every 10 days. Most recently, Messy Monsters was updated on October 30, 2026 and Kids Visual Timer on October 31, 2026.

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