Comparison

The Nag vs Timely

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

Head to head
About

The Nag

This app provides a robust reminder system designed to boost productivity. It offers timed notifications and persistent 'nag' modes to help users stay on track with tasks, habits, and goals.

Highlights
  • Timed reminders with editing and repeat options
  • Persistent 'Nag Mode' for recurring notifications
  • Customizable nag lists
  • Countdown timer for upcoming alerts
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Clean and user-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

Stay on track. Stay productive. Stay Nagged. The Nag is your ultimate productivity companion — a clean, powerful reminder system that goes beyond simple alerts. Whether you need one-time notifications or persistent nudges, The Nag has you covered. Features Include: Timed Reminders -Schedule specific reminders for any time and date. -Easily edit, repeat, or remove upcoming tasks. -Missed a reminder? Set it to follow up until you act. Nag Mode -Keep procrastination at bay with recurring notifications. -Enter multiple custom “nags” that cycle on your selected interval (e.g., every 1, 5, or 15 minutes). -Great for workouts, medication, focus sprints, or habits. Powerful Customization -Convert any reminder into a nag with one tap. -Choose from preloaded nag lists like “Health” or create your own. -See a countdown timer so you always know when the next alert is coming. Friendly Design -Clean, easy-to-navigate interface. Bonus -Apple Watch-friendly: Alerts display if your iPhone is locked. Great for people with busy schedules or anyone who thrives on structure. The Nag helps you take action, not just set intentions. Whether you're trying to build a habit or finish a task — nagging works. Download now and start getting things done… one friendly nudge at a time.

About

Timely

This app ensures tasks are completed by sending persistent, configurable reminders until marked done. It offers high-priority alarms, location-based alerts, and voice input for easy task management. Customize your experience with themes and sync across devices.

Highlights
  • Persistent notifications until task completion
  • Configurable reminder frequency per task
  • High priority alarms that break through silent modes
  • Location-based reminders (arrival/departure)
  • Voice input via Siri for task creation and management
  • Natural language input for task scheduling
  • Mac menu bar app for cross-device syncing
Features
Read full description

Most reminder apps nudge you once, then give up. Easy to miss, easy to ignore — and the thing doesn't get done. Timely keeps reminding you until you actually mark it complete. Persistent notifications Pick how often you're reminded per task: every 5 minutes, every 15, every hour. Timely keeps nudging until it's done. Configure it task-by-task. High priority alarms For the things you truly can't miss, turn on High priority and Timely sounds an audible alarm at the due time, breaking through Silent and Focus modes, and staying on screen until you act on it. Part of Timely Pro. Location-based reminders Get reminded when you arrive somewhere or leave it: take out the trash when you get home, grab milk when you leave work. Give a reminder a due date too, and whichever comes first wins. Part of Timely Pro. Make it yours Choose a font, an accent color and a background for your list, or use one of your own photos, and show your reminders as cards. Part of Timely Pro. Add reminders by voice Just ask Siri: “Add a to-do in Timely.” Say what you want, when, and how often — hands-free. When Siri reads a reminder on your AirPods, say “mark it done” or “snooze it.” Natural language input Type it like you'd say it. "Call mom every Sunday." Timely parses the date, time, and repeat settings automatically, and "when I get home" sets it to one of your saved places. Also on your Mac Timely has a native Mac app that lives in your menu bar, reminds you there, and shares one list with your iPhone. Timely Pro is a universal purchase, so one subscription covers both. Flexible repeat scheduling Daily, weekly, custom intervals, or complex patterns. Build the exact schedule you need. Perfect for Medications, water breaks, habits, chores, appointments, follow-ups — anything you can't afford to forget. — Privacy Policy: https://www.andyreed.design/timely/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

The Nag4 screens
Timely4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Nag at none against Timely's 2. The Nag also leads on iOS requirement (18.5 vs 26.0). Timely's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating and ads 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. Timely sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. The Nag asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The Nag against 5.0 for Timely. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Nag ships an update monthly, Timely every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
The Nag versus Timely: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe NagTimely
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.5 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNeville ForsytheANDREW ROBERT REED

In-app purchases

None

The Nag

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Timely

Subscriptions2
  • Timely Pro - Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Timely Pro - Yearly$9.991 Year

Questions

Is The Nag free?
The Nag is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Timely free?
Timely is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The Nag or Timely?
The Nag and Timely are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do The Nag or Timely have ads?
Neither The Nag nor Timely shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Nag or Timely?
The Nag ships an update monthly, and Timely every 4 days. Most recently, The Nag was updated on October 30, 2026 and Timely on November 5, 2026.

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