Comparison

Timely vs Glance

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

Head to head
About

Timely

Features
Read full description

Timely puts countdowns on your Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, Apple Watch, and Mac, so the remaining time is always in sight even while your phone is locked.

 When you add a location to a countdown, Timely accounts for traffic, prep time and how early you want to arrive. When it’s time to go, start turn-by-turn navigation with a tap, even for multi-stop trips.

 Adding new countdowns is fast and easy. You can even pick an event right from your calendar.

 Timely can be automated through the Shortcuts app. Add countdowns automatically without opening the app, or even unlocking your phone.

 Every countdown gets an emoji. Private, on-device AI picks one based on your title, while still making it easy to choose your own.

 Built by one independent developer. There are no ads and no accounts. Timely Plus adds extended Shortcuts actions and server-assisted Live Activity starts and dismissals.

 Timely can be particularly useful for people with ADHD or time blindness, as well as anyone who finds abstract clock times difficult to hold in mind.

 Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.rowanstrang.com/timely/privacy

About

Glance

Features
Read full description

Glance puts the parts of your day that matter on the surface you already look at fifty times a day. A live hub sits on your Lock Screen with a sidebar you can tap. Switch between your calendar, your tasks, your focus timer, and your activity, and the panel you pick stays there until you change it. Check off a task without unlocking. Watch a focus countdown in the Dynamic Island. See how many steps you have taken while your phone is still locked. THE LOCK SCREEN HUB Four panels, one bubble. Tap the sidebar to switch. Your choice sticks until you change it. THE DYNAMIC ISLAND Your live timer, next event, tasks left, steps, water, or habits. You choose what shows for every panel. WIDGETS EVERYWHERE Lock Screen widgets in every shape, plus Home Screen widgets with tasks you can tick off. BUILT FOR A REAL DAY Calendar events with full repeat options. Tasks you can edit and check off. Focus timers with a live ring. Habits with streaks. Countdowns to the days that matter. Water logging. Steps, calories, exercise, and sleep from Apple Health. MADE YOUR WAY Design your own panels, pick what the island shows, choose your accent color, and turn off anything you do not use. YOURS ALONE No account. No sign up. No analytics. No servers. Everything stays on your iPhone and backs up to your own private iCloud, so your streaks survive a reinstall.

Screenshots

Timely4 screens
Glance4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Glance at none against Timely's 4. Glance also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 11 days) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

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

Both are free to download. Timely sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Glance asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timely ships an update every 11 days, Glance every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Timely versus Glance: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimelyGlance
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 3 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size29 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperROWAN STRANGPeter Broas

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Timely

Subscriptions2
  • Timely Plus (Monthly)$0.991 Month
  • Timely Plus (Yearly)$8.991 Year
One-time2
  • Add Countdown Extended$12.99
  • Refresh Timely$12.99
None

Glance

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Timely free?
Timely is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Glance free?
Glance is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Timely or Glance have ads?
Neither Timely nor Glance shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Timely or Glance?
Timely ships an update every 11 days, and Glance every 3 days. Most recently, Timely was updated on October 30, 2026 and Glance on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons