Metta Timer vs Shift
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Metta Timer
This app provides a customizable interval timer for various activities like training, meditation, and daily rituals. It offers unique visual styles, text-to-speech cues, and a variety of sounds to enhance focus and presence during practice.
- Customizable interval sequences
- Text-to-speech spoken cues
- Six unique visual styles
- Zen Mode for distraction-free sessions
- Import custom sounds
- Timer presets and history tracking
- Data backup and sharing
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Metta Timer: train, sit, brew. A beautifully crafted interval timer for physical training, meditation, and mindful daily rituals. Set a different photo for every interval — your meditation cushion, the trail ahead, the tea kettle, the stance you're holding — and let each phase of your practice have its own visual anchor. PHOTO BACKGROUNDS FOR EVERY INTERVAL This is what makes Metta Timer different. Assign your own image to each interval in a timer. Not one wallpaper for the whole session, but a unique photo per phase. Warm-up, work, rest, cool down: each can show the image that keeps you focused. Photos display on the Current screen and in Zen Mode fullscreen, with a subtle progress bar so you always know where you are. Share timers with photos embedded in `.mttimer` files so friends and students see your setup before they import. TRAIN Build custom interval sequences with groups and rounds. Chain phases together, each with its own duration, sounds, spoken cues, and photo. Keep your eyes on your practice, not your phone. SIT Gentle temple bells mark your meditation transitions. No jarring alarms. A photo of your altar during sitting, incense or candle visuals during transition, whatever helps you stay present. Swipe to change animated visuals without breaking your session. BREW A mindful bell when your patience is rewarded. A photo of the cup while the water steeps. Set it and forget it. SCHEDULE MODE Plan intervals by clock time, not just duration. Set start and end times for each phase, ideal for a morning routine, timed tea steps, or a class on a schedule. The timer waits until the right moment and can join mid-schedule if you open the app late. SIX ANIMATED VISUALS PLUS PHOTO Breathing Circle, Spiral Incense, Vertical Incense, Diagonal Incense, Hourglass, and Burning Candle, each crafted with care. Or choose Photo on any interval. Mix freely: photo for meditation, hourglass for exercise, candle for cool-down, all in one timer. ZEN MODE Tap the fullscreen icon for a distraction-free screen. Animated visuals fill the darkness; photo intervals go edge-to-edge with time and progress along the bottom. Swipe to cycle styles mid-session. Tap anywhere to exit. TEXT-TO-SPEECH Type any phrase and hear it at the start or end of any interval. Customize voice, speed, and pitch. Works with voice packs on iPhone and Android. SOUNDS Bell, Chime, Gong, Beep, Singing Bowl, Temple Brass Bell, Temple Bell, Temple Chime, Wooden Fish (1x and 3x), Big Temple Bell, Giant Temple Bell. Import your own MP3, M4A, WAV, or AIFF files. TIMER BUILDER Unlimited timers and intervals. Groups organize phases with independent round counts. Per interval: name, duration, color, sounds, announcements, animated visual or photo. Duplicate presets with one tap. Reorder with drag and drop. STREAKS AND HISTORY Completed timers are recorded automatically. Track consecutive practice days, total completions, and total time. Delete individual records anytime. SHARE Send any preset as a `.mttimer` file via AirDrop, Messages, email, Quick Share, or any app. Photos travel with the timer. Recipients preview everything before importing. PRESETS One Minute of Silence, Chan (Zen) Meditation, Brew High Mountain Green Tea, Horse Stance, Kung Fu Stances, and HIIT Training, ready out of the box. Set any preset as your default. BACKUP AND RESTORE Export presets and completion history as JSON. On Android, files save to Downloads automatically. Import presets or merge history onto a new device. PRIVACY All data stays on your device. No accounts. No ads. No tracking. Ever. PERFECT FOR Meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, HIIT, circuit training, martial arts, tea ceremony, kung fu, qi gong, taiji, Chan, Zen, Pomodoro, and any practice where a picture is worth a thousand reminders. Made with love and care by Metta Grove.
Shift
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Shift is an interval timer made as simple as possible (but not any simpler). Set up in seconds: • Work • Rest • Repeat How long you exercise – how long you recover – how many rounds. That’s all. Tap Start and Shift takes it from there. Finished workouts stay in History, so your last workout can be your next preset. Load it and go. A few essentials: • Voice cues or simple tones that don’t lower your music • Keeps time in the background • A Live Activity on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • A workout display you can turn sideways • Made for iPhone and iPad Completely free. No ads, no paywall, no subscriptions. No accounts, analytics or tracking. Your workouts stay on your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Metta Timer at 16.6 against Shift's 26. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Metta Timer ships an update every 3 days, Shift every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on June 27, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Metta Timer | Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 26 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Loc Huynh | Jorick van Meijeren |
In-app purchases
Metta Timer
No in-app purchases
Shift
No in-app purchases





