Comparison

Gongfu Tea Timer vs Nine Steeps

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

Head to head
About

Gongfu Tea Timer

Master traditional Chinese tea ceremonies with precise steep timing for various tea types. This app offers pre-configured settings and custom profiles to ensure perfect results for every brew, including Lock Screen and Dynamic Island notifications.

Highlights
  • Pre-configured timing for 5 tea types
  • Multiple rounds with adjusted steep times
  • Rinse step support
  • Custom tea profile creation
  • Lock Screen timer
  • Dynamic Island support
Features
Read full description

Master the art of gongfu tea brewing with precise timing for every steep. Gongfu Tea Timer guides you through the traditional Chinese tea ceremony with optimized steep times for different tea types. Whether you're brewing delicate green tea or robust pu-erh, get perfect results every time. FEATURES: • Pre-configured timing for 5 tea types: Green, Black, Oolong, White, and Pu-erh • Multiple rounds with automatically adjusted steep times • Rinse step for teas that benefit from it • Additional steep generation for extended sessions • Create and save custom tea profiles LIVE ACTIVITIES: • See your timer on the Lock Screen • Dynamic Island support for iPhone 14 Pro and newer • Get alerts when each round completes without opening the app DESIGNED FOR GONGFU: Unlike generic kitchen timers, this app understands gongfu brewing. Each tea type has carefully calibrated times that increase with each steep, following traditional gongfu methodology. Perfect for tea enthusiasts who want consistent, delicious results from their gongfu sessions.

About

Nine Steeps

Features
Read full description

Nine Steeps is a tea companion for brewing, tasting, and keeping a small cellar. Build timed steeping sessions, record infusion notes, rate aroma, body, and finish, save teas, export and import tea files, and use Apple Watch and Live Activities during a session. Full Access is a one-time non-consumable in-app purchase with Apple StoreKit purchase and restore.

Screenshots

Gongfu Tea Timer3 screens
Nine Steeps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gongfu Tea Timer at none against Nine Steeps's 3. Gongfu Tea Timer also leads on iOS requirement (16.2 vs 18.0). Nine Steeps's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads 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. Nine Steeps sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Gongfu Tea Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gongfu Tea Timer ships an update every 2 weeks, Nine Steeps every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Gongfu Tea Timer versus Nine Steeps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGongfu Tea TimerNine Steeps
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.2 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRAYMOND LIU LUORizk Corsight, LLC

In-app purchases

None

Gongfu Tea Timer

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Nine Steeps

One-time3
  • 3-Day TrialFree
  • Nine Steeps Full Access$1.99
  • Nine Steeps Pro$1.99

Questions

Is Gongfu Tea Timer free?
Gongfu Tea Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nine Steeps free?
Nine Steeps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Gongfu Tea Timer or Nine Steeps have ads?
Neither Gongfu Tea Timer nor Nine Steeps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Gongfu Tea Timer or Nine Steeps?
Gongfu Tea Timer ships an update every 2 weeks, and Nine Steeps every 2 days. Most recently, Gongfu Tea Timer was updated on November 5, 2026 and Nine Steeps on October 31, 2026.

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