Comparison

On the hour vs ClockChime

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

Head to head
About

On the hour

This utility app provides a single, focused function: a chime that sounds precisely on the hour. It's designed for users who need a simple, reliable auditory reminder of passing time.

Highlights
  • Hourly chime notification
  • Simple, single-function design
  • Reliable timekeeping alert
Features
Read full description

Just one feature: Chime on the hour

About

ClockChime

This app announces the current time hourly and on the half-hour, helping you stay aware without checking your device. It offers native performance, low resource usage, and customizable chime settings.

Highlights
  • Hourly chime announcements
  • Half-hourly chime announcements
  • Voice time announcements
  • Smart skip during silent mode/calls
  • Customizable active days
  • Shake to speak functionality
  • Custom event reminders
Features
Read full description

ClockChime is more than an hourly chime — it's a talking desk clock and a focus companion for your bedside, desk and workspace. Built natively in SwiftUI: instant to launch, feather-light on battery, and completely offline. Every hour, a clear voice tells you the time, so you never have to pick up your phone to know what it is. ◆ 18 FULL-SCREEN CLOCK FACES • Flip Clock with authentic split-flap animation and satisfying tick sounds • Calendar Wall with bold oversized date typography • Halo and LED — a focus progress ring and retro fluorescent digits • Seven analog dials: railway, index, minimal, crosshair, sector, grid and hairline • Five typographic faces: vertical, split, offset, stencil and broadsheet • Scale Lab — read the time on a ruler and a vernier caliper • Works in portrait and landscape, with an always-on option that turns your device into a bedside clock ◆ FOCUS TIMER & NATURE SOUNDS • Set any duration and watch the countdown live on the clock face • Six soothing nature soundscapes: rain, ocean waves, wind, stream, birdsong and crickets • A completion chime and an end notification — never lose track, even if you leave the app ◆ CHIMES, DOWN TO EVERY DETAIL • All 24 hours individually switchable — hourly chimes are free forever • Half-hour chimes for tighter time awareness • Native iOS text-to-speech with selectable premium voices: crisp and instant • Automatically muted in silent mode or during calls — respectful in meetings and at night • Choose the weekdays you want chimes to be active ◆ CUSTOM ALERTS THAT SPEAK • Set a personal reminder to be announced as spoken text, a system voice, a chosen sound, or even your own recorded voice ◆ SHAKE TO TELL THE TIME Give your phone a gentle shake and hear the current time — no screen required. ◆ PURE NATIVE PERFORMANCE • Written in SwiftUI, not a wrapped web page — fast launch, buttery animation • Tiny memory footprint; background scheduling keeps chimes alive on the lock screen • Fully supports Dark Mode, Dynamic Type and VoiceOver — a genuine talking clock for low-vision users • Interface and voice available in 12 languages ◆ FREE VS UNLOCK ALL FEATURES Free forever: hourly voice chime, smart mute, weekday scheduling, plus the Flip and Calendar Wall faces. One-time purchase unlocks: half-hour chimes, shake-to-tell, custom alerts, premium voices, the other 16 clock faces, flip themes (including your own photo), tick sounds, and the focus timer with nature soundscapes. No subscription. No hidden fees. No ads. No sign-in required. Restore purchases anytime. Perfect for study sessions, pomodoro work blocks, bedside timekeeping, kitchen timers and shop displays. Download ClockChime and give time a warm voice.

Screenshots

On the hour3 screens
ClockChime4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: On the hour at none against ClockChime's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. ClockChime sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. On the hour asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

On the hour ships an update weekly, ClockChime every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
On the hour versus ClockChime: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOn the hourClockChime
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer田丰 何小明 张

Customer experience

On the hour

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ClockChime

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

On the hour

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ClockChime

One-time1
  • Pro$0.99

Questions

Is On the hour free?
On the hour is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ClockChime free?
ClockChime is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do On the hour or ClockChime have ads?
Neither On the hour nor ClockChime shows ads.
Which is updated more often, On the hour or ClockChime?
On the hour ships an update weekly, and ClockChime every 8 days. Most recently, On the hour was updated on October 24, 2026 and ClockChime on October 28, 2026.

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