Best Timer App for Mac (2026): Built-in, Free and Paid

For most people, the best timer app for Mac is already installed. The Clock app, built into macOS since macOS 13 Ventura, has a countdown timer and a stopwatch, and Siri can start a timer by voice. A dedicated app is worth it only if you need something Clock doesn't do: control from the menu bar or a global hotkey, Pomodoro work and break cycles, or blocking distracting apps and sites while the timer runs.

Quick picks:

• Clock app (built in): best for one-off countdowns and a stopwatch. Free.
• Be Focused: best for a Pomodoro timer you control from the menu bar or with global hotkeys. Free with ads, or a one-time Pro purchase.
• Session: best for Pomodoro sessions with app and website blocking, plus alerts on iPhone and Apple Watch. Free, with a Pro subscription.
• Flow: best for a simple, free Pomodoro timer across Apple devices if you're on macOS 26.
• Gubb: best if you want a timer next to your notes, clipboard history and break reminders. It has no menu bar countdown and no completion sound.

We make Gubb, so weigh our view accordingly. We've tried to be fair to every app here, and we say plainly where Gubb's timer falls short.

Built-in timers on Mac

Clock app

The Clock app arrived on the Mac with macOS 13 Ventura and is included in macOS 14 Sonoma, 15 Sequoia and 26 Tahoe. It has a countdown timer and a stopwatch, and it costs nothing.

1. Press ⌘Space (Command-Space) to open Spotlight.
2. Type Clock and press Return.
3. Switch to the timers view in the toolbar at the top of the window.
4. Set the hours, minutes and seconds.
5. Start the timer.

The stopwatch is in the same app. For more ways to time things with what's already on your Mac, see how to set a timer on Mac and how to use a stopwatch on Mac.

Siri

If Siri is turned on (open System Settings and search for "Siri"), say "Set a timer for 20 minutes." This is the quickest way to start a countdown when you're working in another app or your hands are busy.

A Terminal one-liner

If you already work in Terminal, this waits 25 minutes and then speaks out loud:

sleep 1500; say "Time is up"

sleep waits for the given number of seconds (1500 seconds is 25 minutes) and say reads the text aloud. It changes no settings. Keep the Terminal window open, and press Control-C to cancel.

What the built-in options can't do

Clock and Siri handle a single countdown or a stopwatch well. They won't run Pomodoro work and break cycles or block apps and websites while you work. If you only need "remind me in 15 minutes," stop here. You don't need another app.

How we chose these timer apps

We compared each app on what it publishes about its features, prices and system requirements as of November 2026, not on timing tests of our own. These are the points that decide whether a timer app suits you:

• Where the time shows. A countdown you can see without switching windows (in the menu bar or a small floating window) saves you from checking.
• How you start it. Siri, a global hotkey or one click in the menu bar is faster than opening a window each time.
• What happens at zero. You need a sound or notification you'll notice. A silent timer is easy to miss.
• Pomodoro cycles. Some apps move from work to break on their own. With others you restart the countdown yourself.
• Price model and macOS version. One-time purchase, subscription or free, and whether the app runs on your version of macOS.

Best timer apps for Mac compared

Menu bar timers on Mac

A menu bar timer sits in the strip at the top of the screen, so you can start, pause or skip it without hunting for a window. That matters if you start many short timers a day or work in full-screen apps.

Of the apps covered here, Be Focused is the one built around menu bar control. The Mac App Store also has small menu-bar-only countdown apps, which we don't cover. If you try one, check its last update date and macOS requirement before you buy.

Be Focused

Be Focused is a Pomodoro focus timer by Denys Ievenko. It comes in two versions: a free app with in-app purchases and a paid "Pro" app.

Good at:

• A menu bar icon you right-click to start, pause or skip.
• Global hotkeys to start or stop the timer from any app.
• Blocking distracting apps and websites during work sessions, with a whitelist.
• Desktop and Notification Center widgets, plus Shortcuts support.
• A ticking sound, a choice of alarm sounds and interactive notifications.
• Sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Lacks:

• The free version shows banners and ads. Removing them is a paid in-app purchase.
• It runs on Apple platforms only.
• Task management lives in a separate app from the same developer (Focus Matrix).

Price (as of November 2026):

• The free version sells in-app purchases that unlock CSV export, running Shortcuts on events and ad removal. Subscription options were added in version 2.4.
• Pro is a one-time App Store purchase. US listings have shown both $11.99 and $19.99, so check the listing before you buy.
• The Pro Mac listing says macOS 12 or later.

Pick it if: you want to run your Pomodoro timer from the menu bar and the keyboard, and you prefer paying once.

Pomodoro timers for Mac

The Pomodoro technique alternates focused work blocks (classically 25 minutes) with short breaks. A dedicated Pomodoro app can start the break when a work block ends, so you don't reset a countdown by hand. If you're new to the method, read what the Pomodoro technique is and how many Pomodoros a day make sense. For more options, see our best Pomodoro timer for Mac roundup.

Session

Session is a Pomodoro focus app for Mac and iOS. As of its developer's March 2025 announcement, it's available by direct download, on Setapp, on the Mac App Store and on the iOS App Store.

Good at:

• The free plan includes unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and calendar events shown in the app.
• Pro adds:
  • custom session and break lengths
  • website and app blocking (Mac only)
  • real-time sync between devices
  • global keyboard shortcuts on the Mac
  • automatic Apple Calendar events after each session
• With Pro, your iPhone or Apple Watch gets a notification when a Mac timer ends.
• Pro can mute Slack during a session.

Lacks:

• Most of the features above need a subscription. There's no one-time purchase.
• The free tier shows analytics for only the past 2 days.
• It's a focus timer, with no general notes or clipboard tools.

Price (as of November 2026): free, or Pro at $4.99/month or $39.99/year. Creating an account gives 7 days of Pro free, and prices vary slightly by region.

Pick it if: you want the timer to block distractions and reach your iPhone or Watch, and a subscription is fine.

Flow

Flow by Yugen GmbH is a small Pomodoro timer that splits work into focus sessions with set breaks. Several unrelated apps share the name, so check the developer.

Good at:

• A free basic Pomodoro timer. Reviewers note it has no ads and no sign-up.
• Timer sync across devices, added in Flow 4.0.
• Session history, including the total time spent on interruptions.

Lacks:

• The Mac version needs macOS 26 or later.
• It runs on Apple platforms only and is a timer only.
• Flow Pro is a subscription.

Price (as of November 2026): free basic version. Flow Pro is an auto-renewing App Store subscription, from $1.49/month billed annually according to reviews, with prices varying by region.

Pick it if: you're on macOS 26, want a clean Pomodoro timer and don't need blocking or menu bar control.

Gubb: countdown, stopwatch and Pomodoro in one window

Gubb is our app. It isn't a dedicated timer. It's a small window that combines notes, to-do lists, clipboard history, speech-to-text into notes and a timer. If a timer is the main thing you want, one of the apps above will serve you better. Gubb makes sense when you'd use the other tools too.

How Gubb's timer works

1. Move the pointer to the right edge of the Gubb note so the button column appears.
2. Click Timer.
3. Choose Countdown, Stopwatch or Pomodoro.
4. For Countdown or Pomodoro, set min (0 to 999) and sec (0 to 59) while the timer is stopped. The default is 25:00.
5. Click Start. Use Pause and Reset as needed.
6. To get the dialog out of the way, click the minimize button (−) in its header. The timer becomes a small floating pill at the bottom center showing the mode and the time. Clicking Close timer on the pill stops and resets it.

The timer keeps running while the dialog is closed or minimized. To keep it in view while you work in other apps, click Pin window on top in the same right-edge column.

What Gubb's timer can't do

• No menu bar countdown. The menu bar icon shows or hides the Gubb window. It doesn't display the time.
• No completion sound. At zero, Gubb asks for a "Timer Complete" notification, but it plays no sound, and we can't promise the notification appears on every Mac. Keep the window pinned so you can see the time.
• Pomodoro doesn't cycle. Pomodoro mode behaves exactly like Countdown, starting at 25:00. It doesn't start breaks on its own or count sessions.
• One timer at a time. It stops when you quit Gubb, and closing the main window may quit the app, so minimize the timer instead.
• Not precise to the second over long runs. It counts in 1-second steps and can drift slightly.
• No global hotkey to start or stop it.

Where Gubb does help: break reminders

Gubb also has a break reminder, which a countdown timer doesn't give you. It's off by default.

1. Click Settings (the gear) in the right-edge column.
2. Open Break Time.
3. Turn on Enable Break Timer.
4. Click Save Break Settings.

With the default settings, you get a 20-second micro break after every 60 minutes of work, and a 5-minute long break after every 3 micro breaks. During a break, the Gubb window goes full screen with a countdown and the buttons +1 Minute and Skip Break.

Limits to know: a break covers only the Gubb window, not other displays, and it runs only while Gubb is open. After a break ends, Gubb turns off "Pin window on top," so pin the window again if you were using it to watch the timer. See the timer and break settings in the help center for every option.

Price (as of November 2026): $59 one-time for a lifetime license from gubb.net, which activates on up to 3 devices. Gubb is also sold on the Mac App Store, where there's no trial.

Pick it if: you want a countdown or stopwatch beside your notes and clipboard history, and you'd use the break reminders. Skip it if you need an audible alarm or a menu bar timer.

Gubb's direct download comes with a 7-day free trial, no account needed.

Break reminder apps, if you want breaks rather than a timer

If the reason you want a timer is to stop sitting for hours, a break reminder app does that job better than a countdown you have to restart. Our guide to break reminder apps for Mac covers more options, and the 20-20-20 rule explains a common eye-rest habit.

Stretchly

Stretchly is a free, open-source break reminder for macOS, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD.

• It stays in the menu bar and shows a reminder window from time to time with an idea for the break. It has both short and longer breaks.
• Some extras, such as showing the current time during breaks or hiding the tray icon, are reserved for contributors.
• It's built on Electron.

Time Out

Time Out from Dejal is a Mac break reminder that dates back to 2003.

• It has a "Normal" break and a second, shorter kind of break.
• Version 4.0 (October 29, 2026) added manual, one-time, repeating and random schedules, plus a catalog of downloadable break themes.
• Version 4.0 needs macOS 26 or later, and several of its new features are for recent supporters only.
• As of November 2026 it's free to download. Supporter purchases on Dejal's site run from $4.99 (3 months) to $59.99 (lifetime), sold as one-time payments that don't auto-renew.

Which timer app to pick

• You need a countdown a few times a day: use the Clock app or ask Siri. Don't buy anything.
• You want to start and pause from the menu bar or a hotkey: Be Focused.
• You want Pomodoro plus app and website blocking, with alerts on your iPhone or Watch: Session Pro.
• You're on macOS 26 and want a plain Pomodoro timer for free: Flow.
• You mostly want regular breaks, not a timer: Stretchly (free) or Time Out.
• You want notes, clipboard history, a timer and break reminders in one window, paid once: Gubb, accepting that its timer is silent and has no menu bar countdown.

FAQ

Do I need an app to use the Pomodoro technique on a Mac?
No. A 25-minute countdown in the Clock app works. An app helps when you want breaks to start automatically, a session history, or distractions blocked during work blocks.

Can I see Gubb's timer in the menu bar?
No. The time shows only inside the Gubb window, in the Timer dialog or as the minimized pill. Pin the window on top to keep it visible over other apps.

Does Gubb's timer keep running if I close the Timer dialog?
Yes. It keeps running when you close or minimize the dialog, but it stops when you quit Gubb.