Comparison

Tempo vs TempoQ

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

TempoQ

Features
Read full description

Feel the Flow of Time. Do you struggle with time blindness? Do you constantly check the clock during deep work, or lose track of your pacing during important exams? TempoQ is here to fix your internal clock. Designed as a personalized time-perception assistant, TempoQ helps you "feel" time passing through intuitive, rhythmic haptics on your Apple Watch and iPhone. By replacing stressful alarms with gentle, sensory cues, TempoQ provides a natural sense of pacing. You'll always know how much time you have left, without ever having to break your focus to look at a screen. Your Personalized Pacing Toolkit: - Calibrated to Your Brain: Take our built-in perception tests so TempoQ can learn your unique internal speed and adjust its pulses to match you. - Invisible Guidance: Receive subtle haptic taps on your wrist that keep you moving forward without audible distractions. - Focus & ADHD Support: Choose from dynamic haptic styles like "Smooth Flow" for steady work, or "ADHD Rescue" for high-frequency nudges when you need help staying on task. - Exam Prep Presets: Studying for the SAT, GRE, LSAT, or MCAT? Use our built-in test modes to internalize the perfect pace for each section. - Live Activities & Dynamic Island: Keep your current session visible at a glance on your iPhone, perfectly synced with your Apple Watch. - Privacy First: Your habits are your business. All session and calibration data is stored strictly on-device. Whether you're trying to reclaim your daily productivity, manage ADHD, or ace a high-stakes test, TempoQ bridges the gap between your mind and the clock.

Screenshots

Tempo4 screens
TempoQ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Tempo at Free against TempoQ's $2.99. Tempo also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). TempoQ's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, 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

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tempo ships an update fortnightly, TempoQ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Tempo versus TempoQ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoTempoQ
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB13 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperFoundry24 LLCCerebra Solutions LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$4.99
None

TempoQ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TempoQ free?
TempoQ costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tempo or TempoQ have ads?
Neither Tempo nor TempoQ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tempo or TempoQ?
Tempo ships an update fortnightly, and TempoQ every 2 months. Most recently, Tempo was updated on October 9, 2026 and TempoQ on October 6, 2026.

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