Comparison

Count Up Down Timer vs Tempo

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

Head to head
About

Count Up Down Timer

Features
Read full description

Zero hassle. Total control. "CountUpDownTimer" redefines how you interact with time. ■ The Magic of Swipe Forget tapping numbers. Just swipe to set your time with incredible smoothness. This intuitive interface lets you focus on what matters most, instantly. ■ Seamless Mode Switching Changed your mind? Switch between Count-Up and Count-Down even during measurement. Flexibility is now at your fingertips. ■ Groundbreaking Speed Control Adjust the flow of time itself. Run your timer at 2x or 0.5x speed. • Use 2x speed to challenge yourself and boost productivity. • Use slow-motion for tasks that require steady pacing. Experience a completely new way to manage your day. ■ Perfect For: • Cooking: Set timers instantly with a simple swipe. • Training & Study: Apply healthy pressure using speed-up features. • Complex Tasks: Flexibly switch modes as your workflow evolves. Ultimate simplicity meets high-end functionality. Feel what it’s like to truly master your time.

About

Tempo

This app transforms countdown timers into clear visual progress indicators, helping you stay focused on tasks like work, study, or cooking. It offers multiple visualization options and a distraction-free interface, working reliably offline without requiring an account.

Highlights
  • Multiple visualization options
  • Clean, distraction-free interface
  • Works offline
  • No account setup
  • Reliable background operation
  • Privacy-focused
Features
Read full description

If you have ever looked up and lost an hour, you do not need another number counting down. You need to see time move. Tempo turns time into something you can watch. A dandelion loses its seeds. An eclipse closes over. A snowman gives in to the sun. Glance at your phone from across the room and you know how much is left — no reading, no math. BUILT FOR TIME BLINDNESS Numbers are abstract. If your brain does not track elapsed time on its own, "20 minutes" means nothing until it is already gone. Tempo makes time spatial instead, so you feel it draining rather than having to calculate it. FROM ONE MINUTE TO ONE YEAR Most timers stop at an hour. Tempo has six scales: • MINUTE — a focus sprint or a short break • HOUR — the meeting, the work block • DAY — how much of today is actually left • MONTH — the deadline that still feels far away • SEASON — the stretch you keep meaning to use • YEAR — the one nobody shows you The longer scales run live against the real calendar. Open Tempo in August and the year is already most of the way gone. That is not a gimmick — for anyone who loses whole weeks, seeing it is the point. SEVEN VISUALIZATIONS Dandelion, Dots, Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, and Thunderstorm. Pick the one your brain actually reads, and set it as your default. ON YOUR WRIST AND HOME SCREEN An Apple Watch app and home screen widgets keep the current scale visible without unlocking anything — so checking the time stops becoming the distraction. BUILT TO STAY QUIET • No account, no sign-up, no email • Every timer works offline — no connection required • No streaks, no badges, no guilt mechanics • No ads, ever Tempo will not fix your relationship with time. It just makes time visible, so the hours stop disappearing without warning. Free to use, including the Dandelion and Dots visualizations and every scale from MINUTE through YEAR. A one-time Pro purchase adds the Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, and Thunderstorm visualizations and the SEASON scale. No subscription, ever.

Screenshots

Count Up Down Timer3 screens
Tempo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Count Up Down Timer at none against Tempo's 1. Count Up Down Timer also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Tempo's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Tempo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Count Up Down Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Count Up Down Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, Tempo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Count Up Down Timer versus Tempo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCount Up Down TimerTempo
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSatoshi YamakawaFoundry24 LLC

In-app purchases

None

Count Up Down Timer

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Count Up Down Timer free?
Count Up Down Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Count Up Down Timer or Tempo have ads?
Count Up Down Timer shows ads; Tempo does not.
Which is updated more often, Count Up Down Timer or Tempo?
Count Up Down Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Tempo every 2 months. Most recently, Count Up Down Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and Tempo on September 23, 2026.

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