Comparison

Tempo vs Chromeo

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

Head to head
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 (Pro) — the three months you keep meaning to use • YEAR — the one nobody shows you The longer scales run live against the real calendar. Open Tempo in October 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 LOCK SCREEN An Apple Watch app and Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets keep your current scale in view without opening anything — so checking the time stops being the distraction. BUILT TO STAY QUIET • No account, no sign-up, no email • Works entirely offline • 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: the Dots visualization and five of the six scales — MINUTE, HOUR, DAY, MONTH, and YEAR. A one-time Pro purchase adds Dandelion, Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, Thunderstorm, and the SEASON scale. No subscription.

About

Chromeo

Features
Read full description

Chromeo is a visual Pomodoro timer built for creative work. Instead of only watching numbers count down, you see time unfold visually. A spiral closes.
 A ring fills.
 A maze resolves.
 A cube shifts. You observe time passing. Time is set through touch.
Haptic feedback makes adjustments feel physical and precise.
You can edit the timer even while it is running. Sessions are meant to adapt to your workflow, not lock you into it. Chromeo is fast to use.
Open, set, start. No setup screens, no friction. It works well for: • Deep creative work
 • Writing, design, development
 • Study sessions
 • Time blocking
 • ADHD and neurodivergent users
 • Anyone who prefers to feel time instead of reading it Different tasks can have different visual styles.
Focus can look different depending on what you are doing. Designed for the Senses • Beautiful 3D parallax visuals
 • Minimal, clean UI
 • Fast and reliable performance
 • Haptic precision control By using this app, you agree to Apple's standard Terms of Use. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tempo4 screens
Chromeo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chromeo at every 2 days against Tempo's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Tempo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chromeo sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tempo ships an update fortnightly, Chromeo every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Tempo versus Chromeo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoChromeo
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFoundry24 LLCTeemu Lehto

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$4.99
2 purchases

Chromeo

One-time2
  • Chromeo Pro -50%$1.99
  • Chromeo Pro$3.99

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chromeo free?
Chromeo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tempo or Chromeo have ads?
Neither Tempo nor Chromeo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tempo or Chromeo?
Tempo ships an update fortnightly, and Chromeo every 2 days. Most recently, Tempo was updated on October 9, 2026 and Chromeo on October 9, 2026.

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