Comparison

Show Timer vs ClassicTimer

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

Head to head
About

Show Timer

Features
Read full description

Show Timer is a powerful, minimalist and performer-focused visual timer that helps you stay on track without breaking your flow. Whether you're on stage, hosting an event, leading a workshop or giving a talk, Show Timer lets you manage time silently using bold, colour-coded cues - green, yellow and red - so you and your team know exactly where you are in the set. No clocks in the venue? No tech support? No problem. Show Timer turns your phone into a silent, colour-changing cue light - ideal for self-managed performances, talks or group work where staying on time matters. Built for performers by performers, Show Timer was designed with comedians, improvisers, actors and workshop leaders in mind. Put your phone at the side of the stage, on a stool or backstage. The screen colour will change at key points during your show, letting you see at a glance when to keep going, when to wrap up and when timeโ€™s up - without pulling focus or relying on someone else. TIMER MODES 1. Timer Counts up from 0. Always starts green. You can specify when it turns yellow and red. It keeps counting up forever - ideal for open-ended sets or rehearsals. 2. Duration Counts down from a set time. Starts green, turns yellow when you choose and red at the end (default red is at 0:00). After hitting zero, it starts counting up in negative numbers - great for tracking overruns or managing strict time slots. 3. Clock Displays the current time in green. You can set a time for it to turn yellow or red, for example from 19:00 to 19:50. Great for festival shows, conferences or classes with set start and end times. DISPLAY MODES 1. Border The screen background stays black, with a bright green/yellow/red border. Time is shown in white text - ideal for low-light settings or backstage use. 2. Background The full screen changes to green, yellow or red. The time is displayed in contrasting text. Great for mid-stage visibility. 3. Background Only Full background colour with no visible text (time is technically shown in a very faint colour to indicate that the app is still running). Designed for group use or immersive settings where you only want to see the cue, not the clock. FEATURES Keeps running even when you close and reopen the app Saves your active timer and preferences between sessions Screen never goes to sleep while a timer is running No ads, no sound, no distractions - just clean, visual timing WHO ITโ€™S FOR Show Timer is used by performers, presenters and teams across many contexts: Stand-up comedians Improv teams and sketch groups Spoken word artists and poets Solo shows and festival acts Workshop leaders and facilitators Teachers and educators Speakers, MCs and panel moderators Therapists and mindfulness coaches Productivity timers and deep work sessions Game nights and group challenges ABOUT PLAYFACE Show Timer is built by Playface - a collective creating playful tools and training for comedians, facilitators and creatives. We also run: Clown and comedy workshops in London and online Creativity tools and solo devising resources Digital and physical tools for performers Learn more at https://www.playface.fun DOWNLOAD TODAY Skip the stress. Skip the guessing. Show Timer gives you the confidence to stay on track, on stage and in the flow - all at a glance. Have feedback? Weโ€™d love to hear from you. Email contact@playface.fun

About

ClassicTimer

Features
Read full description

ClassicTimer brings the charm of a classic kitchen timer to your iPhone. INTUITIVE DIAL Turn the dial to set your time, release to start. Tap to pause, double-tap to reset. It's that simple. 4 SCALES Switch between 6, 12, 36, and 72-minute scales. Perfect for cooking, studying, workouts, and more. LIGHT & DARK MODE Switch with a single tap. Choose the look that suits your style or time of day. WIDGETS & LIVE ACTIVITIES Start a timer right from your Home Screen widget. See real-time countdown on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. BACKGROUND NOTIFICATIONS Get notified when your timer is done, even while using other apps. PRO (ONE-TIME PURCHASE) โ€ข Remove all ads โ€ข Color customization (body, dial, ticks, needle, background) โ€ข Background image customization (choose from your photo library) Simple, beautiful, and uniquely yours. Terms of Use: https://10half.jp/classictimer/terms.en.html Privacy Policy: https://10half.jp/classictimer/privacy.en.html

Screenshots

Show Timer4 screens
ClassicTimer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ClassicTimer at Free against Show Timer's $2.99. ClassicTimer also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 14 months). Show Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

ClassicTimer is free to download; Show Timer costs $2.99 up front. ClassicTimer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Show Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Show Timer ships an update every 14 months, ClassicTimer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences ยท 2 level
Show Timer versus ClassicTimer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShow TimerClassicTimer
Price$2.99Free โ€” better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsFortnightly โ€” better
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size52 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCharlie Jackson10HALF LLC

In-app purchases

None

Show Timer

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ClassicTimer

One-time1
  • ClassicTimer Pro$1.99

Questions

Is Show Timer free?
Show Timer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ClassicTimer free?
ClassicTimer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Show Timer or ClassicTimer have ads?
ClassicTimer shows ads; Show Timer does not.
Which is updated more often, Show Timer or ClassicTimer?
Show Timer ships an update every 14 months, and ClassicTimer fortnightly. Most recently, Show Timer was updated on September 19, 2026 and ClassicTimer on October 2, 2026.

Other comparisons