Visual Timer for Kids
Comparison · iPhone & iPad · September 2026
Time Timer alternative app for kids: a picture timer for iPhone and iPad
Visual Timer for Kids is a Time Timer alternative app for iPhone and iPad: instead of a red disk that shrinks, a picture is slowly revealed as the time runs down. It is made for young children who cannot read a clock yet, it is free to try and it has no ads; we make it, and this page compares it honestly with the Time Timer app and the physical Time Timer. If you want a timer without a screen, the physical Time Timer or a similar disk timer is the better choice, and the section on devices below explains when.
Quick answer: which one fits your child
- A young child who cannot read a clock yet and needs a reason to keep watching: Visual Timer for Kids reveals a picture as time runs down.
- Several timers at once, timed routines with steps, or an Apple Watch: the Time Timer app does this, and our app does not.
- No screen at all, or one timer a whole group can see: a physical Time Timer, such as the Original 8-inch, works without a phone or tablet.
- A one-time purchase and your own photos in several reveal styles: Time's Up! Visual Timer.
- Nothing to buy at all: Mouse Timer.
Side by side: our app, the Time Timer app and the Time Timer device
| Timer | How time is shown | Made for | Free to try | How you pay | Ads | Parent lock | Works offline | Several timers at once | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Timer for Kids (ours) | A picture is slowly revealed | Young kids who cannot read a clock yet; App Store age rating 4+ | Yes, limited use and a small set of content | Subscription, plans shown in the app | No ads | Parental gate on settings and purchases, plus a child mode | Yes | No, one timer at a time | iPhone, iPad, Apple Silicon Macs |
| Time Timer app | A colored disk that gets smaller; the red disk and 60-minute scale of the original timer can be the default | Kids, teens and adults; App Store age rating 4+ | Yes, up to 3 timers | One-time purchase unlocks all features | Not stated by developer | Not stated by developer | Not stated by developer | Yes | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch; the developer also lists Android |
| Time Timer Original 8-inch (device) | A red disk that gets smaller | Classrooms, homes and desks | No, it is bought | Bought once; needs 2 AA batteries (not included) | No screen | Not stated by maker | No phone or internet needed | No, one 60-minute timer | Stands alone, hangs on a wall or sticks to a magnetic board |
Facts checked on September 28, 2026 on the US App Store and timetimer.com. "Not stated by developer" means neither the App Store listing nor the developer's website says it. "4+" is the App Store age rating, not a recommendation. We do not print prices on this page because they change; see the App Store or timetimer.com for current prices.
What Visual Timer for Kids does differently
As the countdown runs in Visual Timer for Kids, a picture is slowly revealed, so a child who cannot read numbers yet has something to watch and a reason to wait for the end. The free version includes 2 pictures, 2 backgrounds, 2 music themes and 2 alarm sounds, which is enough to try it with your child. Premium adds 200+ pictures, 27 backgrounds, 20 music themes, 10 time's-up sounds, your own photos from your library, and a dice that picks a random picture. The alarm sound and the end animation can each be turned off in settings. The timer keeps running in the background, you get a notification when time is up, and it works offline. There are no ads and no analytics or tracking inside the app, and a parental gate sits in front of settings and purchases. It is available in 22 languages and supports Family Sharing.
Where the Time Timer app is better than ours
The Time Timer app is paid for once, while premium in Visual Timer for Kids is a subscription. Time Timer runs several timers at once, can play up to 99 timers in a row, and lets you build routines from timer sequences, which suits classrooms and therapy sessions. A timer can be set anywhere from 1 second to 99:59:59 hours. It runs on Apple Watch and Mac, and its developer lists an Android version. It can also show the same red disk and 60-minute scale as the physical timer a child may already know from school. Our app runs one timer at a time and has no Android or Apple Watch version. If any of these matter to you, keep Time Timer.
App or physical Time Timer: when a device fits better
The physical Time Timer is a battery-powered visual timer with a red disk that gets smaller as time passes. The Original comes in 3-inch, 8-inch and 12-inch sizes. The Original 8-inch is a 60-minute timer that runs on 2 AA batteries, has no ticking, and has an end beep you can switch on or off; the 8-inch and 12-inch models can stick to a magnetic board, stand alone or hang on a wall. The MOD is a smaller, portable 60-minute model with a silicone case that runs on 1 AA battery, and there are MOD editions for 10, 30 and 120 minutes. Several models come with limited-time premium access to the Time Timer app.
- Choose a device if you want no screen in the room, if a whole group needs to see the timer, or if your child should not hold a phone or tablet during the task.
- Choose an app if you already have an iPhone or iPad, if your child responds to pictures and music more than to a disk, or if you want to try it free before you pay.
Other picture timer apps parents try instead of Time Timer
These are the iPhone and iPad apps parents most often name next to Time Timer. Our full comparison of six visual timer apps has the details, including free tier, ads, parent lock and offline use.
- Time's Up! Visual Timer (Overdesigned): reveals, pixelates or puzzles a photo from your library. Five free countdowns, then a one-time purchase. Runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.
- Visual Countdown Timer (Fehners Software): a picture is revealed while the timer runs from green to amber to red. The free version shows ads; upgrades are one-time purchases.
- Tokimo: animated animal characters, a parent PIN, and App Blocking that locks other apps when time is up. Subscription or lifetime purchase. Its App Store name also starts with "Visual Timer for Kids", but it is a different app from a different developer.
- Mouse Timer (LITALICO): a mouse eats apples as the minutes pass. Free with nothing to buy, and also on Android.
How to try it with your child
- Download Visual Timer for Kids for free on an iPhone or iPad.
- Set the same length of time your child already knows, for example 10 minutes of tidy-up.
- Pick a picture together and press start.
- Watch whether your child checks on the picture. If they would rather watch a disk, the Time Timer app or device is the better fit, and that is fine.
Try the picture-reveal timer free
Visual Timer for Kids is free to download on iPhone and iPad. Set a time, pick a picture, press start, and see if your child watches.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Time Timer alternative app for kids?
For a young child who cannot read a clock yet, Visual Timer for Kids is a good Time Timer alternative app: a picture is slowly revealed as time runs down, instead of a red disk that shrinks. It runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs, is free to try and has no ads. Other options are Time's Up! Visual Timer (one-time purchase, your own photos), Visual Countdown Timer (a picture reveal with traffic-light colors) and Mouse Timer (free, nothing to buy).
Is Visual Timer for Kids made by Time Timer?
No. Visual Timer for Kids is made by Natalia Jakubczyk-Gajewska and has no connection to Time Timer LLC, which makes the Time Timer app and the Time Timer devices. It is also a different app from Tokimo ("Visual Timer for Kids: Tokimo") and from "Visual Timer for Kids + Voice", which have similar names.
Is there a free Time Timer alternative app?
Yes. Mouse Timer is free with nothing to buy, according to its developer. Visual Timer for Kids is free to download and try, with limited use and a small set of content; premium is a subscription. The Time Timer app itself also has a free version with up to 3 timers.
Should I buy a physical Time Timer or use an app?
Buy a physical Time Timer if you want no screen at all, or one timer that a group can see across a room. Use an app if you already have an iPhone or iPad, your child is motivated by pictures and music, and you want to try it free before paying. You can also use both: the device in the classroom and an app at home.
Does Visual Timer for Kids have a red disk like Time Timer?
No. Visual Timer for Kids shows time as a picture that is slowly revealed, not as a disk. If your child knows the red disk from school and wants exactly that look, the Time Timer app can show the same red disk and 60-minute scale as the original timer.
Is there a Time Timer alternative for Android?
Visual Timer for Kids is not available on Android; it runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs only. On Android, Mouse Timer has an Android version, and Time Timer's developer lists an Android version of its own app.
Disclosure: Visual Timer for Kids is made by the author of this page. Time Timer is a trademark of Time Timer LLC. Visual Timer for Kids is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Time Timer LLC. All other apps belong to their respective developers. Time Timer facts were checked on the US App Store and timetimer.com on September 28, 2026; facts about the other apps come from our comparison page, checked on September 5, 2026. They may have changed since. If something is wrong, email AppsForParents@gmail.com and we will fix it.