Soft Count vs NOVA
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Soft Count
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Soft Count is a quiet timer designed to help you return to your breath. There are no sounds and no ads. Just follow the rhythm on screen and bring your attention back to your breathing. Choose from five breathing modes: - Natural 4-4-4-4 - Relaxation 4-7-8 - Zen 4-6 - Resonant 5-5 - Calming 4-8 Each part of the breathing cycle is shown with gentle colors and visual progress, making it easy to see when to inhale, hold, and exhale. You can choose what appears on screen, including the center timer, progress indicator, timing bar, and phase labels. Soft Count is not designed to rush your breathing. It simply gives you a quiet place to return to your breath.
NOVA
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NOVA: Timer Beautifully simple. Effortlessly precise. Designed from the ground up to eliminate distraction, NOVA redefines how you interact with time. Wrapped in a subtle space-inspired aesthetic and built as a screen-on experience, it transforms your device into an ambient, visually captivating timepiece that looks striking on any desk or stand. Minimal by design No complicated menus. No unnecessary clutter. Absolutely no ads. Just a clean, celestial interface that serves as a visual anchor while you work, study, or relax. Crafted for complete control - Tutorial: Learn how to use the buttons with the simple app tutorial on launch. - Multi gesture start button: Tap start, tap pause, tap resume, swipe right over the button to reveal stop, then tap to stop. - Custom Presets: Tap a preset for instant focus, or long-press to easily create your own. - Orbit Intervals: Track orbits clearly displayed as numbers directly underneath the timer. - Collections: Pick from a selection of images as your background - Add your photo: Use your own image as a background - Remembers Your Setup: Automatically saves all your chosen preferences so NOVA is always ready when you are. - Countdown and Stopwatch: Choose which way you want your. timer to work. Tailor your environment Toggle features on or off with a single tap to fit your exact flow, or long press for more detailed precise options. - Noise: Custom audio alerts and notifications. - Orbit: Interval tracking indicators. - Vibrate: Tactile haptic feedback. - Animate: Fluid visual movement, sound effects, and celebratory confetti - or switch them off for total static minimalism. Key Features: - Ambient Space Design: Built to remain on screen as a stunning, functional timepiece. - Volume: Lowers the volume of background audio so you can hear the countdown and success prompts - Zero Distractions: No ads, no popups, and no tracking clutter. Just a beautiful experience. - Customise: Make it your NOVA Time, elevated. Experience NOVA today.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: NOVA at every 2 days against Soft Count's every 2 months. NOVA also leads on price ($0.99 vs $3.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Soft Count costs $3.99 and NOVA $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Soft Count ships an update every 2 months, NOVA every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Soft Count | NOVA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | $0.99 β better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Makoto Fukuoka | Robert Dowling |
In-app purchases
Soft Count
No in-app purchases
NOVA
No in-app purchases





