Comparison

Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer vs Pixel Hourglass

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

Head to head
About

Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer

Features
Read full description

Live Timekeeper is a timekeeping app for seeing, communicating, and sharing time. For presentations, conferences, events, workouts, study, work, and more. Large digits, full-screen colors, and progress styles make time clear at a glance. With Bluetooth, share a timer with nearby devices. Control it from one device and keep the same timeline synchronized across multiple iPhones and iPads. Mac full-screen viewing and external displays for iPhone and iPad are supported. Don’t just measure time—show it. And share it across multiple screens. Live Timekeeper works just as well on one device as across several. ―――――――――― ■ Sync timers across devices with Bluetooth Connect nearby devices over Bluetooth. One acts as host, and participants follow its phase, progress, and timeline—not just start and stop commands. It’s useful for presenters and timekeepers, event teams, or several displays showing the same time. Participants can mirror the host’s display or use their own style. If allowed, they can start, pause, reset, or trigger the chime. No internet connection is required for Bluetooth timer synchronization. ―――――――――― ■ Make time visible Live Timekeeper goes beyond numbers, using the full screen to visualize progress. ・Simple single-color display ・Background colors that change by phase ・Full-screen progress within the current phase ・Color-coded progress across the entire timer ・Progress around the edges of the screen ・Circular progress around the timer Choose the style that fits your needs and see progress at a glance. ―――――――――― ■ Mac and external displays Use the full screen on Mac with no borders. Connect an iPhone or iPad to a display and the timer automatically fits its screen. Keep the controls on your device while showing the timer full-screen on a monitor or projector. Ideal for presentations, events, and venue operations. ―――――――――― ■ Keep the timer visible in other apps and on the Lock Screen Picture in Picture keeps the timer visible while you use other apps. Live Activities show it on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island. From supported views, start, pause, or reset the timer without bringing the app to the foreground. ―――――――――― ■ Build timers with multiple phases Divide a timer into multiple phases, for example: “Presentation → Q&A” “Work → Break” “Setup → Session → Wrap-up” Each phase can have its own duration, description, background color, and chime. Countdown and count-up are supported, along with overtime display and repeated or continuous runs. Save your setup as a preset and reuse it anytime. Built-in presets are available for presentations, Pomodoro sessions, workouts, cooking, and event operation. ―――――――――― ■ Customize the display Customize background and text colors, timer and description sizes, fonts, and progress styles. Use Live Timekeeper as a simple timer or a full-screen timekeeper that communicates time through color. ―――――――――― ■ Use chimes to signal timing Use chimes at the start, at phase changes, or at the end. Set them by phase or trigger one manually when timing needs to be communicated with sound. ―――――――――― ■ Share presets Share presets by QR code or the system share menu to reuse them on other devices or send them to someone else. ―――――――――― ■ Great for ・Presentations, conference talks, and thesis defenses ・Lectures, seminars, and workshops ・Event and stage operation ・Meetings and discussions ・Workouts and interval training ・Study and focus sessions ・Cooking and timed workflows ・Timer displays across multiple devices ・Timer displays on external monitors and projectors Live Timekeeper lets you do more than measure time: choose how to show it and share the same timeline across the screens that need it. ―――――――――― Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pixel Hourglass

Features
Read full description

Pixel Hourglass is a classic hourglass timer with a pixel-art design. Flip it, watch the sand run, and hear a chime when time is up. FEATURES • Classic hourglass, drawn pixel by pixel • Presets from 1 to 25 minutes, or set any time up to 59:59 • Flip to start, just like a real hourglass • Sand that grows into a tree, a heart, a house or a mountain • Alarm that sounds even when your phone is locked • Live Activity on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island • Pause, resume and restart with one tap • No account, no ads, no tracking EGG TIMER Bring water to a boil, lower the eggs in, and flip the hourglass: • Soft-boiled: 6 minutes • Jammy: 7 minutes • Medium: 8 minutes • Hard-boiled: 10 minutes When the chime sounds, cool the eggs briefly under cold water.

Screenshots

Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer4 screens
Pixel Hourglass4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Hourglass at none against Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer's 5. Pixel Hourglass also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Pixel Hourglass asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly daily. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer versus Pixel Hourglass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLive Timekeeper|Visual TimerPixel Hourglass
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyDailyDaily
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerkentaro hiraharaDimitry van den Berg

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer

Subscriptions1
  • Remove Ads – Monthly$0.991 Month
One-time4
  • Support S$1.00
  • Remove Ads$5.99
  • Support M$10.00
Show 1 more
  • Support L$100.00
None

Pixel Hourglass

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer free?
Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pixel Hourglass free?
Pixel Hourglass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer or Pixel Hourglass have ads?
Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer shows ads; Pixel Hourglass does not.
Which is updated more often, Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer or Pixel Hourglass?
Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer ships an update daily, and Pixel Hourglass daily. Most recently, Live Timekeeper|Visual Timer was updated on October 8, 2026 and Pixel Hourglass on October 1, 2026.

Other comparisons