# BG Buddy vs Tempest Game Clock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tempest Game Clock at none against BG Buddy's 1. BG Buddy's advantage is iOS requirement (9.1 vs 12.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BG Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tempest Game Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for BG Buddy against 4.9 for Tempest Game Clock. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 7 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

BG Buddy ships an update monthly, Tempest Game Clock every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BG Buddy | Tempest Game Clock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bg-buddy/id972446985/reviews)** | [4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempest-game-clock/id1564359363/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.1** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Knipe](https://appshunter.io/developer/972446984) | [TEMPO-GAMES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1564359365) |

## What reviewers say

### BG Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bg-buddy/id972446985)

This app provides a comprehensive tool for scoring and managing backgammon matches. It features a tournament clock, dice roller, scorecard, and the ability to analyze game statistics and positions. It also includes accessibility features for visually impaired players.

**Highlights:** Tournament style match clock, Match play with Jacoby, Beaver, and settlement options, Win percentage tracking over time, Position photo analysis, Talking dice for visually impaired players, Random dice with cube generator, Automatic tweeting of results

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BG Buddy Full Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |


### Tempest Game Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempest-game-clock/id1564359363)

This companion app transforms your iPhone into a high-definition display for a physical, tournament-style game clock. It pairs with the clock to provide clear analog and digital timing for various board games, including a strict tournament mode.

**Highlights:** iPhone display integration, Analog and digital game timing, Supports increments and delays, Tournament mode, Compatible with Chess, Backgammon, Go, Scrabble, etc., Pairs with physical game clock

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BG Buddy free?

BG Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Tempest Game Clock free?

Tempest Game Clock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BG Buddy or Tempest Game Clock?

BG Buddy is rated higher. BG Buddy averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Tempest Game Clock averages 4.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do BG Buddy or Tempest Game Clock have ads?

Neither BG Buddy nor Tempest Game Clock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BG Buddy or Tempest Game Clock?

BG Buddy ships an update monthly, and Tempest Game Clock every 2 months. Most recently, BG Buddy was updated on September 25, 2026 and Tempest Game Clock on October 12, 2026.

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