Comparison

Time Blind Timer vs TimeBarX

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

Head to head
About

Time Blind Timer

This app provides an audio-first timer designed for individuals who struggle with time blindness, particularly those with ADHD. It offers spoken check-ins and countdowns, customizable to user preference, and supports background operation for uninterrupted use during other activities.

Highlights
  • Audio-first spoken cues
  • Background operation support
  • Customizable iOS voice and cadence
  • Adjustable announcement frequency
  • Elapsed-time mode option
  • Pre-set and custom routines
  • No gamification or guilt-inducing features
Features
Read full description

A timer that talks you through time. Built for the brains that lose track of it. For brains that lose time, a countdown that speaks so you do not have to look. Most timers are silent rectangles. For an ADHD brain that experiences time-blindness, that is the same as not having a timer at all. Time Blind Timer talks to you. It speaks check-ins at the pace you choose, in your own iPhone voice, while the screen stays dark and the world keeps going. Why people stay: - Audio first. Every cue is spoken aloud, not a tiny number on a screen you have to unlock. - Locked screen friendly. Confirmed background-audio behavior. Designed to work while you are doing literally anything else. - Your voice. Pick any iOS voice (Samantha, Daniel, Karen, Moira, and the high-quality Enhanced voices) with rate and pitch tuned per persona. - Your cadence. Adjustable announcement frequency from every 30 seconds to every 15 minutes, plus a Natural countdown that mirrors how humans warn each other (10m, 5m, 2m, 1m, 30s, 10s). - Elapsed-time mode. Optional toggle to announce 'You are 18 minutes in, 7 left' instead of only 'remaining'. The time-blindness receptor responds better to elapsed than to remaining alone. - Routines, not just timers. Start a morning anchor, a bedtime wind-down, a Pomodoro block, a study session, a leave-the-house countdown, or build your own. Each step has its own spoken cue. - No shame. No streaks. No 'you failed' copy. No gamification guilt. Just a calm narrator that keeps you company. - Real-time interruption handling. The clock keeps running through Siri, phone calls, YouTube. The next scheduled cue plays fresh, never an awkward stale announcement. - Local first. No account. No cloud sync. No tracking. No analytics. Your timer state lives on your phone only. Built for ADHD by people who have it, with line-editing input from an ADHD-PCC therapist. Made by Nice Notions LLC. Privacy policy: https://timeblindtimer.com/privacy Support: https://timeblindtimer.com/support Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

TimeBarX

Features
Read full description

TimeBarX puts a countdown where you’ll actually see it - a full-screen progress ring, Live Activities on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, and Home Screen widgets. Glance at your time remaining without opening the app or breaking focus. Set a timer with the slider, pick an end time, or type in plain English. “25 minutes”, “1h30m”, “2:00 PM” - just type and go. SEE YOUR TIME • Large circular progress ring that fills as time runs down • Drag the ring to set the duration, with a tick for each minute • Live Activities on the Lock Screen, StandBy, and Dynamic Island - pause, resume, or add 5 minutes without opening the app • Home Screen widgets with quick-start controls • Near-end pulse when five minutes remain START IN SECONDS • Duration slider (free) • End-time picker and natural language input (Pro) • Presets for common focus durations - customize or add your own (Pro) • Siri and Shortcuts: start, pause, resume, repeat, or start a named preset • Picks up where you left off after quitting or restarting POMODORO WHEN YOU NEED IT • Work, short break, and long break cycles • Configurable durations, cycle count, and auto-advance (Pro) • Live phase badge while a session runs A FINISH YOU’LL NOTICE • Completion screen with optional custom message (Pro) • Effects: flash, pulse, fade, or none (Pro) • Notifications with 5- and 10-minute snooze MAKE IT YOURS (PRO) • Custom colors and customizable presets • Segmented ring with 2–6 arcs • Smart auto-pause when face-down or idle • URL scheme automation (timebar://) • Session history and optional mood check-in • Light or dark app icon, or follow the system BUILT RIGHT • Native SwiftUI for iPhone and iPad • Optional iCloud sync of timer state and settings with your other TimeBarX devices • No subscription. No account. No tracking. ONE PURCHASE. MAC + IPHONE. Free to download. TimeBarX Pro is a one-time $3.99 purchase that unlocks Pro across Mac and iPhone. No subscription, no recurring fees. If you already own TimeBarX Pro on Mac, you don’t need to buy it again on iPhone.

Screenshots

Time Blind Timer4 screens
TimeBarX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: TimeBarX at 4 against Time Blind Timer's 2. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Time Blind Timer sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and TimeBarX sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Time Blind Timer ships an update every 4 days, TimeBarX every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Time Blind Timer versus TimeBarX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTime Blind TimerTimeBarX
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice Notions LLCJonathan Tapia

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Time Blind Timer

Subscriptions1
  • Persona Lab Monthly$4.991 Month
One-time5
  • Focus Studio Pack$3.99
  • Departure Launch Pack$3.99
  • Transition Bridge Pack$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Calm Landing Pack$4.99
  • Family Flow Pack$4.99
1 purchases

TimeBarX

One-time1
  • TimeBarX Pro$3.99

Questions

Is Time Blind Timer free?
Time Blind Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TimeBarX free?
TimeBarX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Time Blind Timer or TimeBarX have ads?
Neither Time Blind Timer nor TimeBarX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Time Blind Timer or TimeBarX?
Time Blind Timer ships an update every 4 days, and TimeBarX every 3 days. Most recently, Time Blind Timer was updated on August 14, 2026 and TimeBarX on September 22, 2026.

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