Comparison

Tempo vs Linear Timer+

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 — 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.

About

Linear Timer+

This app provides a visually minimal interval timer to enhance focus and build routines. It allows for multiple simultaneous timers, customizable intervals with color-coding, and features like Pomodoro mode and scheduled starts. Smart audio cues and second-level precision support various activities.

Highlights
  • Run multiple independent timers
  • Customizable intervals with color-coding
  • Pomodoro mode with configurable durations
  • Scheduled timers for automatic starts
  • Save and reuse timer presets
  • Voice, haptic, and transition sound cues
  • Second-level duration support
Features
Read full description

Linear Timer+ is an interval timer built for people who work in structured blocks — focus sessions, workout sets, study sprints, cooking timers, or any sequence of named activities. Most timers count down to zero. Linear Timer+ lets you build a full sequence: 25 minutes of FOCUS, 5 minutes of BREAK, then repeat. Each interval has its own label, duration, and color. The timer moves through them automatically, chiming at each transition. Named intervals — call them whatever reflects your actual work. DEEP WORK. STRETCH. COOLDOWN. COLD PLUNGE. Your labels, your rhythm. Live Activity — the timer stays visible on your lock screen and in the Dynamic Island. See your current interval and a live progress bar without touching your phone. Works with screen off — sounds and voice cues fire reliably in the background. Lock your phone and walk away. Logbook — a private on-device record of your focus history. Total time, weekly comparison, a 7-day chart, and time broken down by each of your activity labels. No punishing streaks — just honest information about how you actually spend structured time. Voice cues — optional spoken announcements at each transition: the interval name, time remaining, what's coming up next. Multiple timers — run independent sessions side by side. A workout and a work block at the same time. Scheduled starts — set timers to auto-start at specific times on specific days. Presets — save your favorite configurations and load them in one tap. Pomodoro mode — classic 25/5 technique built in, no setup needed. 100% private — no accounts, no cloud sync, no analytics. All data stays on your device. The Logbook has never seen the internet.

Screenshots

Tempo4 screens
Linear Timer+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Linear Timer+ at none against Tempo's 1. Linear Timer+ also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Linear Timer+ asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Tempo against 5.0 for Linear Timer+. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Tempo versus Linear Timer+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoLinear Timer+
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFoundry24 LLCThe InfoDump LLC

Customer experience

Tempo

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Linear Timer+

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$4.99
None

Linear Timer+

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Linear Timer+ free?
Linear Timer+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tempo or Linear Timer+?
Tempo and Linear Timer+ are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Tempo or Linear Timer+ have ads?
Neither Tempo nor Linear Timer+ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tempo or Linear Timer+?
Tempo ships an update every 2 months, and Linear Timer+ every 2 months. Most recently, Tempo was updated on September 23, 2026 and Linear Timer+ on September 14, 2026.

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