Live Timers on Lock Screen vs Tempo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Live Timers on Lock Screen
Manage multiple timers efficiently from your iPhone's Lock Screen. This app offers distinct visual layouts and safety features to prevent accidental interruptions, with options for Apple Watch and Home Screen widgets.
- Lock Screen timer views
- Distinguishable timers with colors
- Countdown and end time display
- Face ID protected actions
- Apple Watch support
- Saved common timers
- Timers with notes
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The app began with a simple problem: during busy, hands-full moments, I didn't have time to repeatedly unlock my iPhone and open an app just to check several timers. Apple's built-in Clock app works well for basic timing. The difficulty begins when several timers are running. Finding the right timer on the Lock Screen can require waking the screen, expanding the timer stack, and sorting through several similar-looking entries. Upcoming alarms are not shown there before they ring, so checking what is scheduled means opening Clock and switching to the Alarms tab. Lock Screen controls can also be triggered accidentally when an iPhone wakes as it is taken from a pocket, bag, or drawer. What began as a solution for busy, hands-full moments has since evolved into a complete timer board spanning the iPhone, Lock Screen, and Apple Watch. Why it's better Instead of sorting through a stack of similar-looking timers, you get: • One color-coded board containing countdowns, scheduled alarms, and notes • Lock Screen Snapshots showing names, colors, remaining time, and expected finish times • Spoken alerts that tell you what is ready without requiring you to look • Musical ringtones, recorded sounds, and custom alarms made from audio or video files • A native seven-slot Apple Watch board • Lock Screen controls protected by iPhone authentication, including Face ID, to help prevent accidental taps • Saved timer configurations and Markdown notes • Siri controls and Home Screen widgets Key features • Several timers, together on your Lock Screen See countdowns and upcoming scheduled alarms together, with names and colors that make them easy to tell apart. Know what is running, what finishes next, and what is scheduled without opening the app. Choose Standard for the full seven-slot board with a featured timer and its controls, or Three Rows for larger rows that prioritize the timers needing your attention most. • Check with little or no interaction Just wake your iPhone’s screen to check multiple timers at a glance, without unlocking it or opening the app. On supported iPhones, Always-On Display makes checking even easier: you can see your timers while the screen is dimmed. • Quick controls, protected while locked Start, pause, resume, stop, or add extra time directly from the Snapshot. iPhone authentication, including Face ID, helps prevent accidental actions while the phone is locked. You can also hide timer names and note text for privacy. • Talking alarms that tell you what is ready Hear "Time for your meeting" or "Your break is over" instead of wondering which timer rang. Write your own spoken message, choose from five speech speed levels and five volume levels, and preview it before saving. • Musical ringtones and custom alarm sounds Choose from quieter musical ringtones and louder alarms. Assign a different sound to each timer, record your own alert, or import an audio or video file from Files and use up to 29 seconds of its audio as a ringtone. • Set up once, use again Save everyday timer configurations so you don't have to recreate them. Keep notes beside your timers, with simple Markdown formatting to make important details stand out. • Your timer board on your wrist View all seven slots in the native Apple Watch app. Control timers, edit notes, and quickly load saved setups or configure new timers. Timer and note changes require a connection to the paired iPhone. • Hands-free controls and quick Home Screen checks Use Siri to start, pause, resume, stop, reset, restart, or extend timers by voice. Add Home Screen widgets to see your timers alongside your other everyday information. • Adjust when plans change Add fixed or automatically calculated extra time when a task needs longer. Switch iPhone alarms to a quieter sound when needed, including timers already running.
Tempo
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Tempo – Multi Kitchen Timer lets you run multiple countdowns at the same time, so you can track every dish in your kitchen without juggling a single timer. Key Features: - Multiple concurrent timers — Start several timers at once; the most urgent one is always front and center - Saved presets — Create up to 6 named presets (e.g. "Pasta – 10 min", "Soft Boiled Egg – 6 min") and start them with a few taps - Alarm notifications — Get a sound and vibration alert when each timer finishes - +30 s button — Add extra time to any running timer with one tap - Individual pause & dismiss — Pause, resume, or dismiss each timer independently, or pause/stop all at once - Keep screen on — Optional setting to prevent the screen from turning off while timers are running - Custom alarm sounds — Choose from built-in sounds - In-app volume — Use a dedicated volume slider independent of your device media volume - Auto-stop alarm — Optionally silence the alarm after a set duration so you don't have to dismiss it manually - Light & dark themes — Includes a Peach Mint light theme and Night Kitchen dark theme, or follow system setting - 5 languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German Perfect For: - Cooking multiple dishes at the same time - Meal prep with staggered start times - Baking with different stage timers - Any activity that needs several independent countdowns How It Works: 1. Create or select one or more presets on the home screen 2. Tap the pot to start — all selected timers run concurrently 3. The timer with the least time left is shown largest; others appear below 4. When a timer finishes, you get a sound + vibration alert and a notification 5. Dismiss, restart, or go back to idle when you're done Privacy Focused: - No data collection - No ads or tracking - Lightweight and efficient Tempo – Multi Kitchen Timer is part of the Ottler Studio suite of simple, focused utility apps designed to make your digital life easier.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tempo at none against Live Timers on Lock Screen's 3. Tempo also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Live Timers on Lock Screen sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Tempo asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Live Timers on Lock Screen | Tempo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CHAN SHUO WU | Cedric Marcellin |
In-app purchases
Live Timers on Lock Screen
- All Timer Slots$0.99
- Palette Unlock$2.99
- Buy Developer a Coffee$4.99
Tempo
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Live Timers on Lock Screen free?
Is Tempo free?
Do Live Timers on Lock Screen or Tempo have ads?
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