Comparison

Tempo vs Chess Clock

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

Head to head
About

Tempo

This app transforms your phone into a shared game clock for multiple players. It features individual timers for each participant, allowing for fair timekeeping in any turn-based game without passing the device. Choose between stopwatch or countdown modes with customizable settings.

Highlights
  • Shared game clock for up to 6 players
  • Individual timers per player
  • Stopwatch and countdown modes
  • Optional Fischer increment
  • Customizable times and presets
  • Per-player names and colors
  • Screen stays awake during gameplay
Features
Read full description

Tempo turns your phone into a shared game clock for the whole table. Put it down in the middle, and every player gets their own clock rotated to face their seat. When it's your turn, your side counts. Tap it to pass to the next player. No passing the phone around, no fumbling with a chess clock built for two. Perfect for chess, but built for any turn-based game - board games, card games, word games, or anything where keeping time fair matters. TWO WAYS TO PLAY > Stopwatch - each player counts up from zero. See who's taking the longest. > Countdown - each player starts with a set time and counts down, with an optional Fischer increment added after every turn. Run out? Tempo keeps counting into overtime instead of knocking you out, so your game is never decided by a single buzzer. MADE FOR THE TABLE - 2 to 6 players, each tile angled toward their seat - Tap-to-pass turn in clockwise order - Custom times and increments, plus one-tap presets - Per-player names and colors - A clean center hub for pause, reset, and settings - The screen stays awake the whole game No accounts. No ads. No tracking. Just a clock everyone can see.

About

Chess Clock

Features
Read full description

Chess Clock is the elegant, fair game timer for two players — no ads, no tracking, no distractions. Perfect for blitz, bullet, rapid and classic tournament games. Pick a time format, place your iPhone between you and start tapping: after each move a player taps their side and the opponent's clock starts. Clear, fast and distraction-free. FEATURES • Ready-made time formats for blitz, bullet, rapid and tournament • Custom time controls with base time, phases and increment (Pro) • Increment modes: Fischer, Bronstein and simple delay (Pro) • Large, easy-to-read display — even from across the table • Live Activity for the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • 15 color themes — every color beyond classic black & white (Pro) • Sound packs including "Quiet" for silent tournament halls (Pro) • Landscape mode: clock flat on the table, both halves side by side (Pro) • Saved setups: load up to 10 configurations with one tap (Pro) • Game history: your last 10 games with time statistics (Pro) BUILT FOR OVER-THE-BOARD PLAY Time controls follow the formats you already play — from 3+2 blitz and 15+10 rapid to multi-phase FIDE tournament schedules that add time after move 40. Speed chess or a grandmaster-length game: no hourglass guesswork, no arguing about who flagged. CHESS CLOCK PRO Unlock every professional feature with Chess Clock Pro — monthly, yearly, or once and forever. Pick what suits you; subscriptions can be cancelled anytime. Whether at the club, at a tournament or at home on the kitchen table: Chess Clock puts a professional chess clock on your iPhone. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tempo4 screens
Chess Clock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tempo at none against Chess Clock's 3. Tempo also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chess Clock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Tempo asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Tempo versus Chess Clock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoChess Clock
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPaul BurkeVincent Grellert

In-app purchases

None

Tempo

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Chess Clock

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • Chess Clock Pro$24.99

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chess Clock free?
Chess Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tempo or Chess Clock have ads?
Neither Tempo nor Chess Clock shows ads.

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