# Timer vs Zen Timer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Timer at none against Zen Timer's 3. Zen Timer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Zen Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Timer against 5.0 for Zen Timer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Timer ships an update every 3 months, Zen Timer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Timer | Zen Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-work-hours-tracker/id6765622118/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-timer-grow-with-orbilla/id6809204467/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Agentic Quarks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895327920) | [TAPAN Shatapathy](https://appshunter.io/developer/6809204469) |

## What reviewers say

### Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-work-hours-tracker/id6765622118)

Track your time with ease by clocking in and out of tasks. This app allows for multiple concurrent timers and provides detailed reports on how your hours are spent weekly, monthly, and yearly. It offers a private iCloud sync and a native dark interface.

**Highlights:** Concurrent timers, One-tap start/stop, Categorization with custom colors, Weekly, monthly, yearly reports, Full history with edits, Trim idle time, Private iCloud sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Zen Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-timer-grow-with-orbilla/id6809204467)

Enhance your focus with a calm Pomodoro and study timer. Track your progress, unlock new looks for your companion, and enjoy a ritualistic approach to productivity with customizable scenes and sounds. Integrates with Apple devices and services for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro and Flow focus timer modes, Customizable scenes and soundscapes, Orbilla companion that grows with focus time, Daily planner and Apple Reminders sync, Focus Circles for shared focus sessions, Cross-device support (iPhone, iPad, Watch, Mac), Apple Health integration

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zen Plus Monthly: Focus & Study | $2.99 | per month |
| Zen Plus Yearly: Focus & Study | $19.99 | per year |
| Zen Plus Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Timer free?

Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Zen Timer free?

Zen Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Timer or Zen Timer?

Timer and Zen Timer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Timer or Zen Timer have ads?

Neither Timer nor Zen Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Timer or Zen Timer?

Timer ships an update every 3 months, and Zen Timer every 3 days. Most recently, Timer was updated on November 13, 2026 and Zen Timer on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*