Best Shot Timer Apps of 2026

Detailed review and ranking. About 100 listings screened, 37 reviewed in depth, the rest in the appendix.

· Data from · 30 min read

Data review Based on store listings, privacy labels, prices and user reviews, not range tests.

A red-painted steel plate hanging at an outdoor range, its paint chipped by grey lead splashes.
Photo: Hanging Shooting Target by Noah Wulf, CC BY-SA 4.0

Disclosure: Shot Timer Reviews and Simple Shot Timer, the app ranked #1 here, come from the same developer. Every score comes from the rubric printed under Methodology, so you can check the ranking yourself.

Contents
  1. TL;DR: the winners
  2. Master comparison table
  3. Ranking A: shot timer apps (detect your shots)
  4. Ranking B: par timer apps (beep only, no detection)
  5. Detailed reviews: shot timer apps
  6. Detailed reviews: par timer apps
  7. Hardware-companion apps (not ranked)
  8. Apps from the guide that no longer exist
  9. What 1-star reviewers complain about, across all apps
  10. Fact-check of the AirsoftShotTimer guide
  11. Frequently asked questions
  12. Appendix: long-tail apps
  13. Methodology
  14. Sources

The best shot timer app in 2026 is Simple Shot Timer. It detects shots through the phone microphone, is free with no ads, account or in-app purchases, and runs on iPhone and Android. Blast Buddy is the most feature-rich alternative. If you only need a par timer, the best is ShootOnTime (iPhone).

Scope: 13 apps named in the AirsoftShotTimer 2026 guide, Simple Shot Timer, and other shot/par timer apps found in a sweep of the App Store (31 countries) and Google Play. About 100 listings were screened, 37 are reviewed in depth, the rest are in the appendix.

Shot timer or par timer? A shot timer app beeps, then listens for your shots and records your first-shot and split times. A par timer app only beeps: once to start, and again when the par time is up. It records nothing. The two kinds are ranked separately.

TL;DR: the winners

AwardAppWhy
Best overall (free, iPhone + Android)Simple Shot Timer (89.9)Detects shots, completely free (no IAP), no ads, no account, collects no data, runs on both platforms and gets updates. It has the most features of the free apps (Standard, Par and Stage modes, CSV export, video timing, auto-configure).
Best feature-rich free timer with optional ProBlast BuddyFree shot timer with no shot limit, plus video overlays, a stage builder and Apple Watch. Pro is $2.99/mo. Collects more data than the leaders.
Best for airsoftAirsoftShotTimerDetection tuned for GBB/AEG/CO2 and a wind filter. Paid ($2.99) on iPhone. The Android version has a 2.5 star rating and reports of ad redirects.
Best for dry-fire click detection (iPhone)Dry Fire Pro: Gun Shot TimerOn-device ML trained on your own trigger click. Core features free; Pro subscription or $39.99 lifetime.
Best free Android timer with scoring/tournamentsDryFire – Shot Timer (AlbertLab)Many features and no account, but it shows ads and shares ad IDs and approximate location.
Most-installed (but not recommended in 2026)IPSC Shot Timer (Stoliarov)About 490K Android installs and 4,048 ratings, but only 3.05 star. Last updated in May 2025, it now crashes on Pixel phones and hides its par controls under the Android navigation bar.
Best par timer (iPhone)ShootOnTime4.94 star from ~1,500 ratings, free, no IAP, no data collected. Does not detect shots (by design).
Best par timer (iPhone + Android)Par Timer: Dry-Fire Trainer (Gunz N’ Coffee)Free; $9.99 one-time Pro. Voice commands, par progression, shot cues.
Best watch-based detectionRecoil Shot TimerRecoil-based Apple Watch timer that works next to other shooters. Free tier covers one string at a time; full use needs a subscription or $39.99 lifetime.
AvoidGun Shot Timer (Innovative Apps), Shooting Range Shot Timer (listing was a Fortnite rewards app), IPSC Shot Timer by ShotSession (hard paywall), Par Timer Pro (subscription needed just to start a timer), Shot Timer – Measure & Improve (unskippable video ads)See the detailed reviews.

Master comparison table

Core apps only (the ones reviewed in depth). “Downloads” means Google Play installs, shown as Play’s public bracket plus Play’s own unrounded counter in brackets. Apple does not publish download numbers for any iOS app, so iOS popularity can only be judged from rating counts.

AppShot detectioniOSAndroidPriceAdsAccountiOS rating (n)Android rating (n)Android downloadsLast update
Simple Shot TimerYes MicYesYesFree, no IAPNo NoneNo None5.0 (3)4.4 (15)1,000+ (≈1.5K)Nov 2026
Blast BuddyYes MicYes +WatchYesFree + Pro $2.99/mo, $19.99/yrNo NoneOptional4.93 (14)–100+ (≈220)Nov 2026
AirsoftShotTimerYes Mic (airsoft-tuned)YesYesiOS $2.99 paid; Android free + $2.99 IAPCaution Android: no “Contains ads” label, but ad redirects reportedNo None4.16 (215)2.5 (58)1,000+ (≈3.8K)Oct 2026
Dry Fire Pro: Gun Shot TimerYes ML (dry-fire click)YesNoFree + Pro $2.99/mo, $19.99/yr, $39.99 lifetimeNo NoneNo None4.46 (52)––Oct 2026
ITP Shot TimerYes MicYesNoFree, no IAPNo NoneNo None4.78 (9)––Oct 2026
Better Shot TimerYes MicYesNoFree, no IAPNo NoneNo None4.57 (86)––Jan 2024
DryFire – Shot Timer (AlbertLab)Yes MicNoYesFree + PRO sub ($3.99–$24.99)Yes Yes (PRO removes)No None–5.0 (39)1,000+ (≈1.8K)Oct 2026
IDPA shot timerYes MicNoYesFreeNo NoneNo None–– (too few)1,000+ (≈4.4K)Dec 2025
Range Timer APYes MicYesNoFreeNo NoneNo None3.78 (36)––Feb 2023
IPSC Shot Timer (Stoliarov)Yes MicNoYesFreeYes YesNo None–3.05 (4,048)100,000+ (≈492K)May 2025
Gun Shot Timer (Innovative Apps)Yes Mic (broken)YesNoFreeNo NoneNo None2.35 (358)––May 2019
ShotbudYes Watch mic + motionYes WatchNoFreeNo NoneNo None3.71 (77)––Sep 2021
Shot Timer – Measure & ImproveYes Mic (volume spike)YesYesFree + remove-ads ($2.99 iOS / $1.99 Android)Yes Yes, video adsOptional (cloud ID)5.0 (2)1.91 (94)10,000+ (≈40K)Nov 2026
Shot Timer – Range TrainerYes MicYesNoFree + Premium $6.99Caution Ads reported in free versionNo None4.13 (762)––Feb 2024
Range BuddyYes Mic or BT timerYes +WatchYes +Wear OSFree + Pro $7.99/mo, $49.99/yrNo NoneYes Required4.67 (21)4.18 (48)10,000+ (≈16K)Nov 2026
PlinkPalYes Mic + accelerometer + watch recoilYes +WatchYes +Wear OSFree + Premium $6.99–$59.99 (subscription)No NoneYes Email sign-up3.78 (23)2.9 (47)10,000+ (≈14K)Oct 2026
Recoil Shot TimerYes Watch recoil (AI)Yes WatchNoFree tier + $2.99/mo, $19.99/yr, $39.99 lifetimeNo NoneCaution Unclear (contact info linked)4.22 (32)––Jun 2026
BSHOCK Shot TimerYes Watch sensors (AI)Yes WatchNo$1.99/mo, $19.99/yrNo NoneYes Registration nag4.36 (11)––Jul 2024
ShootOnTime: Par TimerNo Par onlyYesNoFree, no IAPNo NoneNo None4.94 (1,496)––Oct 2025
Par Timer: Dry-Fire Trainer (Gunz N’ Coffee)No Par onlyYesYesFree + $9.99 one-timeNo NoneNo None5.0 (1)–500+ (≈630)Jul 2026
Graydog Dryfire Shot TimerNo Par only (despite the name)NoYesFreeNo NoneNo None–3.92 (12)1,000+ (≈1.5K)Jul 2025
Range Day (T.REX ARMS)No Par/dry-fire timerYesYesFreeNo NoneYes Required4.65 (155)4.35 (165)10,000+ (≈30K)Feb 2026
Dry Fire Timer & Par DrillsNo Par onlyYes +WatchNo$8.99 one-timeNo NoneNo None4.25 (16)––Nov 2026
Drill: Dry Fire Gun TrainerNo Course + timerYesYesFree + $9.99/mo … $99.99/yrNo NoneYes Email login4.93 (1,606)4.6 (2,654)100,000+ (≈106K)Sep 2026
Par Timer ProNo Par onlyYesYesSubscription needed (from $0.99/wk to $49.99/yr; All Access $14.99–$29.99)No NoneCaution Asks for personal info4.55 (449)3.33 (20)100+ (≈350)Sep 2026
Drills (Shooters Global)Needs SG hardwareYes +WatchYesFree + SG Pro $4.99/mo, $39.99/yr (+ $160–$300 timer)No NoneYes Required3.47 (245)3.1 (332)50,000+ (≈66K)Nov 2026

iOS ratings are the weighted average across 31 App Store countries; Apple shows each country’s rating separately. Android ratings are from the US Google Play store, which also shows each country its own rating. ”–” means no listing on that platform, or too few ratings for the store to show a score.


Ranking A: shot timer apps (detect your shots)

Weights: detection 15 · pricing 15 · ads 10 · account 10 · platforms 10 · user rating 15 (Bayesian-adjusted) · popularity 10 · features 5 · maintenance 5 · 1 star-review severity 5. The Methodology section has the full rules.

#AppScoreDet.PriceAdsAcctPlatf.RatingPop.Feat.Maint.1 star sev.
1Simple Shot Timer89.9151510101010.94555
2Blast Buddy82.315111081011.32555
3ITP Shot Timer79.615151010510.61355
4AirsoftShotTimer79.415107101010.46452
5Dry Fire Pro: Gun Shot Timer78.813111010511.84554
6DryFire – Shot Timer (AlbertLab)77.81511510512.84555
7Better Shot Timer77.515151010512.54303
8IDPA shot timer76.41515101059.44233
9Range Timer AP73.015151010510.04202
10IPSC Shot Timer (Stoliarov)70.7151531057.710311
11Gun Shot Timer (Innovative Apps)69.31515101055.36300
12Shotbud (Apple Watch)69.012151010510.04201
13Shot Timer – Measure & Improve68.8151338104.86351
14Shot Timer – Range Trainer68.71510510511.78301
15Range Buddy68.71541001011.76552
16PlinkPal67.5154102108.56552
17Recoil Shot Timer (Apple Watch)65.9128105510.94353
18BSHOCK Shot Timer (Apple Watch)51.4126100510.42303

How to read this ranking

  • The top of the table reflects the rubric. The rubric rewards free, ad-free, account-free, cross-platform apps, which is exactly where 2026 newcomers such as Simple Shot Timer are strongest. The older apps keep their lead only on rating volume, and their 1 star reviews show that this lead is eroding.
  • No phone app was tested on a live range for this report. Detection quality is inferred from store descriptions and users’ reviews only. Before trusting any app’s numbers, run the “ten-shot check” from the AirsoftShotTimer guide: fire 10 shots and confirm the app counts exactly 10.

Ranking B: par timer apps (beep only, no detection)

A par timer gives a start beep and a “time’s up” beep; it never hears your shots. Weights: pricing 20 · ads 10 · account 15 · platforms 10 · rating 20 · popularity 10 · features 5 · maintenance 5 · 1 star severity 5.

#AppScorePriceAdsAcctPlatf.RatingPop.Feat.Maint.1 star sev.
1ShootOnTime: Par Timer85.6201015519.68314
2Par Timer: Dry-Fire Trainer (Gunz N’ Coffee)80.81610151012.82555
3Graydog Dryfire Shot Timer72.2201015513.24212
4Range Day (T.REX ARMS)70.1201001017.16331
5Dry Fire Timer & Par Drills70.0121015514.02552
6Drill: Dry Fire Gun Trainer67.661001018.610553
7Par Timer Pro64.241071017.26451

Several shot-timer apps also include a full par mode: Simple Shot Timer (Par mode with cycles and rest), Blast Buddy, AlbertLab DryFire and Dry Fire Pro. If you want both a par timer and detection, one of those may be all you need.


Detailed reviews: shot timer apps

Each review covers the same seven categories, then a summary of that app’s 1 star/2 star reviews (App Store reviews from 31 countries; Google Play reviews in English and German).

#1 Simple Shot Timer — 89.9

CategoryFinding
PricingFree. No in-app purchases on either store, no subscription. Open source (GPL-3.0).
AdsNone. Not labelled “Contains ads” on Play; the app’s site states there is no advertising or analytics code.
Account / registrationNone. App Store privacy label: Data Not Collected. Play Data safety: No data collected, no data shared.
Shot detectionYes, through the phone microphone. A notch filter keeps the start/par beep from counting, an echo filter blocks double counts, and the clock starts when the mic actually hears the beep, which cancels speaker or Bluetooth lag. Auto-configure suggests a sensitivity and frequency band after a few test shots. Also times strings from a recorded video.
RatingiOS 5.0 star from 3 ratings (DE 2, NL 1; none yet in the US). Android 4.4 star from 15 ratings (9×5 star, 3×4 star, 3×3 star, no 1–2 star).
DownloadsAndroid 1,000+ (≈1,517). iOS: not published.
PlatformsiPhone and Android. No Apple Watch or Wear OS app.
Released / updatedAndroid Jun 2026; iOS 19 Oct 2026. Last update 3 Nov 2026 (v2.4.1 iOS / v2.4.2 Android).
Feature notesStandard, Par (cycles + rest) and Stage (up to 200 s) modes; instant, fixed or random start delay; saved drills; history of up to 5,000 strings; CSV export; video export with clock and splits; keeps running with the screen locked; screen flash and haptic on the beep; 8 languages.

Worst reviews: There are no 1 star or 2 star reviews on either store. The lowest ratings are three 3 star on Google Play, none with text. Verdict: Simple Shot Timer meets every one of the rubric’s hard criteria (free, no ads, no account, detection, both platforms), and it has the deepest feature set of the free apps. Its own FAQ admits a phone can’t match a good dedicated timer, and that a shot from the next bay can register.


#2 Blast Buddy (ENDCODE SRL) — 82.3

CategoryFinding
PricingShot timer free with no shot limit. Blast Buddy Pro costs $2.99/month or $19.99/year and unlocks watermark-free and multi-angle exports, saved sessions, advanced modes and AI coaching.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationOptional (for sync). Play Data safety lists name and email as optional. The iOS privacy label is extensive: Contact Info, Diagnostics, Identifiers, Location, Purchases and User Content are linked to you.
Shot detectionYes, microphone, with a live sensitivity test and an echo filter. It also detects shots in imported videos and pairs with SpecialPie Bluetooth timers.
RatingiOS 4.93 star from 14 ratings. Android: too few to show.
DownloadsAndroid 100+ (≈218).
PlatformsiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android.
Last update2 Nov 2026 (iOS), 22 Oct 2026 (Android).

Worst reviews: None on either store. Verdict: Blast Buddy has the most feature-rich free tier among the app-only timers (video overlays, a 3D/AR stage builder, an AI coach, a Watch app). You pay for it in data collection, and the Pro upsell is a subscription.


#3 ITP Shot Timer (Paolo Sabatella / Extcon Group) — 79.6

CategoryFinding
PricingFree, no IAP.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationNone (Data Not Collected).
Shot detectionYes, microphone, dry and live fire, with sensitivity from 0%. It advises hanging the bottom mic over a table edge.
RatingiOS 4.78 star from 9 ratings (IT 4, CH 2).
DownloadsiOS only.
PlatformsiPhone only.
Last update23 Oct 2026 (v1.3). Adds a fixed or random pre-timer delay of 0–60 s, par mode and multi-stage series.

Worst reviews: None. Verdict: ITP Shot Timer is a solid, free, private iPhone option.


#4 AirsoftShotTimer (Kuang Yi Wei) — 79.4

CategoryFinding
PricingiOS: paid app, $2.99 (£2.99 / €2.99 / CA$3.99 / A$4.99), no IAP. Android: free + $2.99 IAP. The developer’s own guide calls it “free on iOS”; the App Store lists it as a paid app.
AdsiOS: none observed. Android: not labelled “Contains ads”, yet its Data safety form declares that device IDs are shared for advertising or marketing, and two Aug 2026 1 star reviews describe Temu ads and an “immediate redirect to ads without a way to bypass.”
Account / registrationNone.
Shot detectionYes. Its guide describes FFT detection tuned to the 275–458 Hz airsoft band, a three-layer wind filter, sensitivity from 0 to 40, and a video overlay. These claims were not independently verified.
RatingiOS 4.16 star from 215 ratings across 31 countries (Japan 80, US 3.43 star/35). Android 2.5 star from 58 ratings, sharply split: 36×1 star and 21×5 star.
DownloadsAndroid 1,000+ (≈3,837). The Android version only launched in Feb 2026.
PlatformsiPhone and Android.
Last update28 Oct 2026 (iOS v2.24), 27 Oct 2026 (Android).

Worst reviews (16 iOS, 2 Android):

  • Detection failures: “Doesn’t count anything, not even at the highest sensitivity” (DE, Sep 2025); “won’t detect airsoft shots or dry fire” (US, 2022); “doesn’t even register my AEG in a quiet environment” (US, 2023).
  • Too basic / missing settings: “No options menu… doesn’t pick up the shot. Not worth the money” (GB, 2023); “Does nothing more than a stopwatch” (US, 2023).
  • Latency and sensitivity: Japanese users report times 0.1–0.3 s slower than other timers and an unstable mic sensitivity (2025–2026).
  • Stability: crashed on iOS 13 (2019); froze every ~3 minutes, possibly because of review prompts (2021).
  • Android: “The only part of this app that works are the Temu ads” (Aug 2026).

Verdict: AirsoftShotTimer is the specialist pick if you train with airsoft guns. On iPhone you are paying $2.99 for an app whose worst reviews are about missed shots, and the Android launch is going badly.


#5 Dry Fire Pro: Gun Shot Timer (Adam Gelatka) — 78.8

CategoryFinding
PricingFree tier: “the ML shot timer, starter drills, Aim’s movement measurement, HQ stats, streaks, calendar and reminders.” Pro: $2.99/month, $19.99/year or $39.99 one-time “Pro Tier”.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationNone (“no accounts, no trackers”). iOS label lists Diagnostics, Identifiers, Purchases and Usage Data as not linked to you.
Shot detectionYes, and specialised: on-device machine learning detects the dry-fire trigger click. “My Firearm” trains a personal model on your own gun. It is built for dry fire, not as a live-fire range timer.
RatingiOS 4.46 star from 52 ratings (US 4.24/34, CZ 7).
DownloadsiOS only (not published).
PlatformsiPhone only.
Last update26 Oct 2026 (v2.5.1); released Aug 2025.

Worst reviews (1): “In optimal conditions, this app simply won’t work. I trained it on sounds to ignore, I trained it on the sound of the trigger, it gives me illogical times even in test mode” (US, Aug 2026). Verdict: Dry Fire Pro is the best answer on iPhone to “can a phone hear a dry-fire click?” The generous free tier and lifetime option make the paywall fair.


#6 DryFire – Shot Timer (AlbertLab) — 77.8

CategoryFinding
PricingCore timers free. DryFire PRO is a monthly or annual subscription (Play IAP range $3.99–$24.99) with no free trial. Tournaments are free.
AdsYes. PRO removes them.
Account / registrationNone (“no app account required”). However, Play Data safety says it shares device IDs, app interactions, diagnostics and approximate location for analytics and advertising.
Shot detectionYes, mic with calibration, firearm profiles and a live sensitivity test. Dry fire only times the first shot, and “works best in a quiet room”.
RatingAndroid 5.0 star from 39 ratings.
DownloadsAndroid 1,000+ (≈1,780). Released Aug 2026.
PlatformsAndroid only.
Last update25 Oct 2026.

Worst reviews: None. Verdict: AlbertLab’s DryFire has the most complete free Android feature set (multi-shot, RO timer, IPSC/IDPA/USPSA scoring, 30 drills, tournaments), at the cost of ads and ad tracking.


#7 Better Shot Timer (Konstantin Bertram) — 77.5

CategoryFinding
PricingFree, no IAP.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationNone (Data Not Collected).
Shot detectionYes (“high-frequency audio detection”, echo cancellation, improved .22 LR recognition). Supports an external mic and Bluetooth headsets.
RatingiOS 4.57 star from 86 ratings (US 4.64/76).
DownloadsiOS only.
PlatformsiPhone only.
Last update22 Jan 2024 (v1.1), nearly two years without an update.

Worst reviews (2): “Constantly crashes and closes” (CA, Apr 2024); “Registers more shots than actually taken… can’t set up properly” (US, Aug 2024). Verdict: Better Shot Timer is well rated and free, but it looks unmaintained.


#8 IDPA shot timer (stefoza) — 76.4

CategoryFinding
PricingFree (“Completely free and no ads!”).
AdsNone.
Account / registrationNone; no data collected.
Shot detectionYes, microphone, sensitivity 0.1–0.9, with a 120 ms echo lockout.
RatingNot shown (too few ratings).
DownloadsAndroid 1,000+ (≈4,413).
PlatformsAndroid only.
Last update24 Dec 2025.

Worst reviews (1): 2 star (DE, May 2026): it always produces an echo detection exactly as long as the echo-suppression setting, which the reviewer believes is a bug. Verdict: IDPA shot timer is a basic but honest free Android timer. It has only a fixed countdown (1–10 s, no random delay) and no par mode.


#9 Range Timer AP (Andre Yara Paiva) — 73.0

CategoryFinding
Pricing / Ads / AccountFree, no IAP, no ads, no account (Data Not Collected).
Shot detectionYes, microphone, with adjustable sensitivity. Also has random delay and par.
RatingiOS 3.78 star from 36 ratings (US 3.38/13, BR 12).
Platforms / updateiPhone only. Last update Feb 2023.

Worst reviews (6): the beep is “nearly inaudible” even through AirPods; sensitivity either “picked up wind as shots or nothing at all”; a user couldn’t adjust sensitivity; the par time is too short for precision shooting (a user asked for at least 180 s). Verdict: Range Timer AP is simple, but abandoned, and its beep is too quiet for ear protection.


#10 IPSC Shot Timer (Stoliarov Ivan): the old Android default — 70.7

CategoryFinding
PricingFree. No IAP currently. Older reviews mention a paid “full version” that still showed ads (2022).
AdsYes (labelled “Contains ads”).
Account / registrationNone; Data safety says no data is collected.
Shot detectionYes, microphone with calibration and echo delay. Comstock, Virginia and Par Time scoring modes. The description still says “BETA version”.
Rating3.05 star from 4,048 ratings. Histogram: 1,374×1 star · 364×2 star · 281×3 star · 728×4 star · 1,292×5 star.
Downloads100,000+ (≈491,552), by far the most-installed phone shot timer.
PlatformsAndroid only.
Last update20 May 2025 (v1.4); on Play since 2011.

Worst reviews (217 fetched at 1–2 star). Most of the recent ones trace back to the May 2025 v1.4 update:

  • Par controls hidden under the Android navigation bar on Samsung S23, S24, S24 Ultra and A53, and on Pixel 6–10. The par/max-time buttons can’t be tapped, so par mode is unusable. The top-voted review (41 upvotes): “This has been a problem for 4 years now and you guys aren’t fixing it.”
  • Crashes: “crashes as soon as I hit the start button. Running on Android 16”; “closes as soon as it opens on my Pixel 8”; “after 2 days the app closes every time you click any button.”
  • False triggers: “I regularly have 12 to 15 ‘shots’ recorded just from background noise”; “Fired twice, picked up 12 different readings”; “even at the highest setting, a light clap is registered as a shot.”
  • Timing bugs: the start delay is ignored (“it just beeps immediately”), “a 1 second par on my real timer was close to .7 second on this app”, and settings are not saved between launches.
  • Abandonment: “dead app”; “abandoned app, missing features, been on Play Store since 2011?”
  • Older complaints: intrusive ads, no instructions, and no way to delete multiple results.

Verdict: IPSC Shot Timer is the name everyone recommends on Reddit, but in late 2026 it is a stale beta with ads that breaks on modern Android phones. It ranks this high only because of its large install base.


#11 Gun Shot Timer (Innovative Applications): avoid — 69.3

CategoryFinding
Pricing / Ads / AccountFree, no IAP, no ads, no account. No privacy label at all (“not provided”).
Shot detectionClaimed, but broken on modern iPhones per years of reviews.
RatingiOS 2.35 star from 358 ratings (US 2.03/200).
Platforms / updateiPhone (and listed Watch). Last update May 2019; released 2009.

Worst reviews (158 at 1–2 star): “The start beep sounds, but the timer never starts counting. Total Time remains at 0.00” (IL, Jun 2026); “Out of 40 shots it recognized 1” (US, 2022); “detects shouting ‘bang’ but not gunshots” (FI, GB, BR); the beep is too quiet; Bluetooth headphones are not supported; “used to be awesome on an iPhone 6, doesn’t work since.” Verdict: Gun Shot Timer is dead: no update since May 2019 and broken detection. It still ranks in search for “shot timer”, so beware.


#12 Shotbud (Apple Watch) — 69.0

CategoryFinding
Pricing / Ads / AccountFree (“free for a limited time”), no ads, no account (Data Not Collected).
Shot detectionWatch microphone plus motion data, with Live Fire, Dry Fire, CO2 and Airsoft presets.
Rating3.71 star from 77 ratings (US 3.88/50).
Platforms / updateiPhone + Apple Watch only. Last update Sep 2021.

Worst reviews (14): “Waiting for this app for approximately 5 years… Never worked satisfactorily” (CA, 2024); the app can’t be opened on the iPhone or the watch (2024); “syncing with phone and never syncs”; false positives from safety clicks; works in dry fire but misses live-fire shots; “the timer starts ALWAYS after about 2 seconds” (AT, 2026); no Garmin support. Verdict: Shotbud was a good idea, but it was abandoned.


#13 Shot Timer – Measure & Improve (Miguel Quiñonero López) — 68.8

CategoryFinding
PricingFree; “Remove Ads” IAP $2.99 (iOS) / $1.99 (Android).
AdsYes, including unskippable video ads.
Account / registrationOptional cloud ID for sync. Play notes that your data can’t be deleted.
Shot detectionYes, but crude: “registering as a shot when a volume spike occurs.”
RatingAndroid 1.91 star from 94 ratings (59×1 star, 17×2 star, 17×5 star). iOS 5.0 (2).
DownloadsAndroid 10,000+ (≈39,694).
Platforms / updateiPhone and Android; last update 1 Nov 2026 (Android).

Worst reviews (15): “Interrupting use of the app, for seconds, while a video… plays, no option to end” (10 upvotes); “App said I had to watch an ad to create a new sequence. I watched the ad… No new sequence got created” (9 upvotes); the app freezes after an ad; it doesn’t count the first or last shot; the sensitivity slider seems inverted; “I purchased the ad-free version. Not better”; “I bought, I paid and got nothing.” Verdict: Shot Timer – Measure & Improve shows ads that interrupt the timer, which defeats its purpose. Avoid.


#14 Shot Timer – Range Trainer (Daniel Yaakob) — 68.7

CategoryFinding
PricingFree + Premium $6.99 (one-time). Reviewers report confusing pricing over the years (“screen says $0.99, charged $1.99”).
AdsNot declared, but a 2024 review says the free version was “inundated with ads”.
Account / registrationNone (Data Not Collected).
Shot detectionYes, microphone with sensitivity settings. Free users can’t adjust sensitivity (2024 review).
RatingiOS 4.13 star from 762 ratings (US 4.05/457). Despite that average, 57 of the 90 most recent text reviews are 1–2 star.
Platforms / updateiPhone only. Last update Feb 2024.

Worst reviews (57):

  • Unreliable detection: “Records 3/5 shots”; “Doesn’t register shots in dry fire or live fire… about 50%”; “registers me unholstering as louder than the actual shots.”
  • Unusable at public ranges: “If I turn the sensitivity up far enough to pick up my shots then it goes off for EVERYBODY’s shots.”
  • The beep: the app forces the volume down at start, so it’s inaudible with ear protection; no Bluetooth support; on iOS 18, “no beep sound… the developer is not maintaining the app.”
  • Paywall: “Just price it for sale if every feature is locked behind a paywall”; “Bought this app and after 2 years I lost my premium”; in v1.x (2021–2023) even the paid version only timed single shots.

Verdict: Shot Timer – Range Trainer has a large legacy rating base that hides an unmaintained app with poor recent sentiment. The same developer publishes 7 near-identical clones (see the appendix).


#15 Range Buddy (Practical Defense Training / Atriarch Targets) — 68.7

CategoryFinding
PricingFree download. Pro $7.99/month or $49.99/year (also a $2.99 tier). Reviews say the timer itself needs membership.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationRequired. The iOS label says Identifiers are used to track you, and Contact Info, Location and Purchases are linked to you. Play Data safety says it shares name, email, user IDs, photos, in-app messages and payment info.
Shot detectionYes, phone mic (live or dry fire) or five Bluetooth timers (AMG Commander, Special Pie, RangeTech, Shooters Global, Kestrel KST1000). Also detects hits on video.
RatingiOS 4.67 star (21) · Android 4.18 star (48).
DownloadsAndroid 10,000+ (≈16,388).
Platforms / updateiPhone + Apple Watch, Android + Wear OS; updated 3 Nov 2026.

Worst reviews (8): “Have to create an account and give permissions just to see if it’s worth anything” (11 upvotes); “Paid membership required for access of timer”; “They also give your information to third parties”; “Annual subscription… should be a lifetime option”; taps don’t register (2023); “doesn’t function” (Sep 2026). Verdict: Range Buddy is a powerful training platform (160+ drills, video scoring, duels), but it fails the account and pricing criteria.


#16 PlinkPal (Tomer Fichman / Caliyatech) — 67.5

CategoryFinding
PricingFree download; Premium subscription, with IAPs from $6.99 to $59.99. The Play listing pitches “$4.99 a month” on the annual plan. Reviewers say features that used to be free moved behind the subscription in 2025.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationEmail sign-up (reported; Play lists email for “Account management”). Data is linked to you: Contact Info, Health & Fitness, Identifiers, Usage Data and User Content (iOS). It shares user IDs and device IDs for analytics (Play).
Shot detectionYes, several ways: phone mic, phone accelerometer, smartwatch recoil (Apple Watch, Wear OS), laser-dot camera and AI target vision.
RatingiOS 3.78 star (23) · Android 2.9 star (47).
DownloadsAndroid 10,000+ (≈14,100).
Platforms / updateiPhone + Watch, Android + Wear OS; updated Oct 2026.

Worst reviews (16):

  • Subscription switch: “This was the perfect free little dry fire timer app… moved to a subscription only model… 8 dollars a month? Nah”; “$4 a month now? It was free for a long time.”
  • Internet required: “hundreds of my tracked shots were forever lost” on BLM land with no signal (offline mode was added later); “requires an internet connection to work.”
  • Won’t start: the app stuck on its splash screen (Dec 2024–Jan 2025).
  • Inconsistent watch detection on a Galaxy Watch 6; “no instructions”; “Horrible AI slop.”
  • One 1 star from Sep 2026 actually praises support.

Verdict: PlinkPal has the broadest technology stack, but it is subscription-only, account-based and poorly rated.


#17 Recoil Shot Timer (NIftyBytes / Scoring Technologies) — 65.9

CategoryFinding
PricingFree tier (“record one string at a time on your Apple Watch”); $2.99/month, $19.99/year or $39.99 one-time.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationNot stated. The iOS label lists Contact Info and Identifiers linked to you, which usually means a sign-in.
Shot detectionYes, by wrist recoil on the Apple Watch, with an AI model trained on 20,000+ shots with the Office of Naval Research. It works next to other shooters, in rain and with suppressors. “Works best on centerfire.” It can’t detect airsoft or dry fire.
Rating4.22 star from 32 ratings.
Platforms / updateiPhone + Apple Watch only; updated Jun 2026.

Worst reviews (5): undercounts shots on a Mini-14 at every sensitivity; no random start (“bare minimum for a shot timer”); the watch must face out; “They claim I own my data, then put it behind a paywall”; doesn’t work for dry fire; useless if your watch isn’t on your trigger hand; “$10 a month is ridiculous” (older pricing). Verdict: Recoil Shot Timer is the best answer to busy public ranges, if you own an Apple Watch and shoot centerfire.


#18 BSHOCK Shot Timer (Apple Watch) — 51.4

CategoryFinding
PricingSubscription $1.99/month or $19.99/year.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationRequired in practice: “Both the iOS and the Watch app start with an unskippable nag screen prompting for a registration” (DE, Dec 2025).
Shot detectionAI with Apple Watch sensors; synced video.
Rating4.36 star from 11.
Platforms / updateiPhone + Watch; last real update Jul 2024.

Verdict: BSHOCK Shot Timer is not recommended: it is subscription-only, nags for registration, and hasn’t had a real update since July 2024.


Detailed reviews: par timer apps

#1 ShootOnTime: Par Timer (LiberApps) — 85.6

CategoryFinding
Pricing“Entirely free”. No IAP.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationNone (Data Not Collected).
Shot detectionNo. “ShootOnTime does NOT register or detect the audible firing of firearms.”
Rating4.94 star from 1,496 ratings (US 4.94/1,190), the best-rated app in the whole category.
Platforms / updateiPhone only (no Android version found). Last update Oct 2025 (v1.3.8).

Worst reviews (4 of 90): users who expected splits (“It doesn’t actually keep track of shots. It’s basically just a stopwatch”); “Very hard to hear the beep”; “Once you stop the timer the time disappears.” Verdict: ShootOnTime is the gold standard for a pure par timer on iPhone.

#2 Par Timer: Dry-Fire Trainer (Gunz N’ Coffee) — 80.8

CategoryFinding
PricingFree + Pro $9.99 one-time (presets, re-run from history).
Ads / AccountNone / none. The iOS label lists Identifiers, Purchases and Usage Data as not linked.
Shot detectionNo (stated plainly).
RatingiOS 5.0 star (1). Android not shown yet.
DownloadsAndroid 500+ (≈631).
Platforms / updateiPhone and Android; Jul 2026.

Worst reviews: none. Verdict: The best cross-platform par timer: voice commands, random delay, shot cues, par times that shorten as you progress, and haptic cues for silent practice.

#3 Graydog Dryfire Shot Timer (Graydog LLC) — 72.2

Free, no ads, no account, no data collected; Android only; 3.92 star (12); 1,000+ (≈1,545); last update Jul 2025. Despite its name it is a par timer (start delay, random start, par beep, repetitions). Worst reviews (3): “Timer??? What timer? It only beeps!”; “doesn’t register noise or shots”; “the timer would not turn off. I had to uninstall the app.”

#4 Range Day (T.REX ARMS) — 70.1

CategoryFinding
Pricing / AdsFree, no IAP, no ads.
Account / registrationRequired (email and password, no guest mode). Play Data safety also states “Data isn’t encrypted” in transit.
Shot detectionNo. Hit-factor calculator, custom drill creator, T.REX drills and a dry-fire timer.
RatingiOS 4.65 star (155) · Android 4.35 star (165).
DownloadsAndroid 10,000+ (≈30,006).
Last updateFeb 2026.

Worst reviews (19): sign-up and login broken (“the ‘sign up’ button is a dead button”; “says my email is taken”; “Requires an email and password. No way to bypass as a guest”); custom drills disappear and the developers stopped replying; “Timer is off… made me think I was faster than I am, checked against my PACT”; the dry-fire timer “bugs out every 4 runs”; several reviews (Jun 2025) are boycott votes against the company rather than comments on the app.

#5 Dry Fire Timer & Par Drills (Konstantin Kurilo) — 70.0

CategoryFinding
Pricing$8.99 one-time (“No subscriptions. No ads. No account.”).
Shot detectionNo.
Rating4.25 star (16). On the App Store since 2013.
PlatformsiPhone with a standalone Apple Watch app.
Last update2 Nov 2026 (v4.1.2, a full rewrite).

Worst reviews (13): for years (2019–2022) the old version had no sound at all; “the time is off… probably by .2 or more”; the v4.0 update (Mar 2026) deleted all saved drills and crashed on launch; “Doesn’t activate after the purchase and no way to contact support” (Sep 2026).

#6 Drill: Dry Fire Gun Trainer (DRILLAPPS TOV) — 67.6

CategoryFinding
PricingLimited free content; subscription $9.99/month, $29.99/6 months, $99.99/year, plus courses ($19.99–$24.99) and $0.99 micro-drills.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationEmail login. The iOS label says Usage Data is used to track you; Contact Info and Identifiers are linked.
Shot detectionNo. A guided dry-fire course app with a timer and voice assistant.
RatingiOS 4.93 star (1,606: 930 from Ukraine, 241 BR, 179 US) · Android 4.6 star (2,654).
DownloadsAndroid 100,000+ (≈106,311).

Worst reviews (15): “Immediately hit with a generic quiz… and right after that, you’re asked to pay before even seeing what the app does”; robotic voice-over; the email-verification link is broken; “I can’t unsubscribe”; “When the app started asking me about what kind of firearms I owned, I uninstalled immediately”; a no-internet error; Ukrainian users objecting to a Russian-language option.

#7 Par Timer Pro (Luke Pighetti) — 64.2

CategoryFinding
PricingA subscription is effectively required. iOS IAPs: $0.99–$2.99/week, $2.99–$6.99/month, $19.99–$49.99/year, All Access $14.99–$29.99. Play: $9.99–$29.99.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationReviewers say it “asks for all your info before it tells you nothing works without a monthly sub”. The iOS label says Identifiers are used to track you.
Shot detectionNo (“does not capture the sound of gunfire”).
RatingiOS 4.55 star (449) · Android 3.33 star (20: 8×1 star, 11×5 star).
DownloadsAndroid 100+ (≈353).

Worst reviews (25): “Won’t even start a basic timer without a purchase” (several, 2026); “Useless without an internet connection… doesn’t store the drills locally” (rural ranges); “Within minutes of downloading the app I received spam texts” (Dec 2025, a user’s claim); blank screen after updates; tutorial videos don’t work; older reviews: “it’s not a shot timer.” Verdict: Par Timer Pro’s developer also publishes the partimerpro.com comparison, which still recommends the delisted “Splits”. The paywall makes Par Timer Pro the weakest par timer here.


Hardware-companion apps (not ranked)

These apps are only useful if you buy the matching hardware timer, so they aren’t comparable to the phone-only apps.

Drills by Shooters Global (SG Timer, SG Timer GO, SG Pulse)

CategoryFinding
PricingApp free; SG Pro $4.99/month or $39.99/year (e.g. for Shotisize AI video detection), on top of a $160–$300 hardware timer.
AdsNone.
Account / registrationRequired (sign-in with Apple, Google or email; cloud-backed).
Shot detectionOnly through SG hardware. Shooters Global’s FAQ: “Does the Drills app work without SG Devices? No.” The v3.0 update (Mar 2025) removed the standalone phone dry-fire/par mode.
RatingiOS 3.47 star (245; US 2.86 star/118) · Android 3.1 star (332: 104×1 star).
DownloadsAndroid 50,000+ (≈66,038).
PlatformsiPhone + Watch, Android; updated Nov 2026.

Worst reviews (113 at 1–2 star):

  • Forced account: “This requires an account to use”; “Spyware without option… constantly requiring log in”; “it’s a timer, stop making me create an account.”
  • Login failures: “external token not registered”; can’t sign in with Google; “URL session failed.”
  • v3.0 removed features: “Removed the ability to train without a timer”; par times dropped from dry fire; saved drills deleted.
  • Crashes and update loops: crashes on launch after updates; forced weekly firmware updates; an update pop-up loops even when already on the latest version.
  • Data loss: “updated the firmware… all of my session history was gone.”
  • Video and Bluetooth: videos missing audio; Bluetooth disconnects; Samsung incompatibility; needs internet underground; a subscription on top of expensive hardware.

AMG Lab Camera / AMG Lab Updater (AMG Lab Commander, Sidekick)

Free, no account, Data Not Collected, iOS and Android, a handful of ratings (5.0 star from 1). There is no standalone AMG app that turns your phone into a timer. The Camera app overlays shot data from a Commander or Sidekick BLE/Pro onto your video, and the Updater installs firmware. No negative reviews.

DAA EDGE Shot Timer (Double-Alpha Academy)

“This app will ONLY work with the DoubleAlpha EDGE Shot Timer.” Free, no account; iOS 1.5 star (2) and Android 500+ (≈639); updated Aug 2026; adds ML start-signal detection for videos. Worst reviews: “kept crashing within 10 seconds of launching… no response from developer” (Android, Jul 2026); echoes indoors, the timer keeps running in review, and video timestamps go missing (SE, Jun 2026).

Others in this group are RangeTech (needs a RangeTech timer; 4.14 star/21, last update 2023), NPTShotTimer (a Bluetooth stop plate) and MantisX (a rail sensor, not a timer).


Apps from the guide that no longer exist

App (as named in the guide)Status on 3 Nov 2026Evidence
Splits (Android, CSL1911A1)Removed from Google Play. The guide calls it “best all-round competition app” and “the paid upgrade”.Package com.csl1911a1.livefiretrainer (linked by Guns.com, 2018) returns Not Found. No listing on either store under that name.
PS Timer Lite / Practical Shooting Timer LiteRemoved from Google Play.Package com.eclipseapplications.pstimer returns Not Found. Guns.com (2018): “PSTL absolutely never worked for me properly… it would miss shots, sometimes to a hilarious degree.”
Dry Fire Par Timer / Dry Fire Par Time Tracker (CSL1911A1)Not on Google Play. Last seen as v2.19 (Nov 2023) on the Aptoide mirror. It was a 30-day trial, then paid, not “free” as the guide says.No Play search result; Aptoide listing.
Surefire Shot Timer (iOS)Not on the US App Store.No result for “surefire shot timer” or “surefire” in the iTunes search.

What 1-star reviewers complain about, across all apps

From the 759 negative (1–2 star) reviews collected across 41 store listings, the same complaints recur:

  1. Detection is wrong in both directions (the #1 complaint by far). Missed shots (“registers 10% of my shots”, “Out of 40 shots it recognized 1”); phantom shots from wind, holster draws, mag drops, safety clicks or the app’s own beep; and neighbours’ shots at public ranges. Dry-fire clicks are the hardest case; only purpose-built apps (Dry Fire Pro) attract praise for them. Only watch/recoil apps claim to solve the neighbour problem, and they bring their own undercounting complaints.
  2. “Free” that isn’t. These include paywalls hit right after onboarding (Par Timer Pro, Drill, ShotSession), free features moved behind a subscription (PlinkPal, Shooters Global), premium purchases that unlock almost nothing (Range Trainer), and shown-vs-charged price mismatches. Many reviewers say a subscription for a timer is the worst possible model: “like subscribing to an app that plays fart sounds.”
  3. Forced accounts and data collection. Shooters Global, Range Buddy, Range Day, Drill, PlinkPal and BSHOCK all draw 1 star reviews solely for requiring sign-up. Gun owners are particularly sensitive to being asked “what firearms do you own”.
  4. Needs internet. Ranges are often rural or underground (PlinkPal lost “hundreds of shots”; Par Timer Pro; Shooters Global).
  5. An inaudible beep. The beep is too quiet for ear protection, apps lower the volume automatically when the timer starts, Bluetooth headsets aren’t supported, or the beep frequency is too high for older ears (Range Trainer, Range Timer AP, Gun Shot Timer, ShootOnTime).
  6. Abandonment and OS breakage. Apps break with new iOS or Android versions and are never fixed (Gun Shot Timer, Shotbud, AirsoftShotTimer on iOS 13, IPSC Shot Timer on Android 16 and Pixel phones).
  7. Android layout bugs. Controls sit behind the system navigation bar on modern edge-to-edge phones (IPSC Shot Timer: dozens of reviews).
  8. Updates that destroy data. Drills and history were deleted by updates to Shooters Global, Dry Fire Timer & Par Drills v4 and Range Day.
  9. Ads in a timing tool. Unskippable video ads (Measure & Improve), ad redirects (AirsoftShotTimer on Android) and banner ads (IPSC Shot Timer).
  10. A par timer mistaken for a shot timer. Names like “Graydog Dryfire Shot Timer” or “Par Timer Pro” draw 1 star reviews from users who expected splits.

What this means for picking an app: in 1 star reviews, being free, ad-free, account-free and usable offline matter almost as much as detection quality. The apps with no negative reviews (Simple Shot Timer, ITP, Blast Buddy) are exactly the ones without paywalls, forced accounts or ads.


Fact-check of the AirsoftShotTimer guide

The guide (airsoftshottimer.com/en/posts/shot-timer-app-guide) is published by AirsoftShotTimer’s developer. Its claims checked against store data on 3 Nov 2026:

Claim in the guideReality
AirsoftShotTimer is “free on iOS” / “free with no feature paywall”Paid app on iOS ($2.99 / €2.99). Android is free with a $2.99 IAP.
Splits is the “best all-round competition app” / the “paid upgrade”Delisted from Google Play.
PS Timer Lite is “a barebones detector that works”Delisted.
Dry Fire Par Timer is free and Reddit’s go-to Android par timerNot on Google Play. It was a 30-day trial, then paid.
Surefire Shot Timer “still turns up in search results”Not found on the App Store.
IPSC Shot Timer is “still the default and still good”Contains ads; last update May 2025; 3.05 star; recent reviews are dominated by crashes and an unusable par UI on Pixel and Samsung phones.
PlinkPal is a “free Android app”It is on iOS too (plus Apple Watch and Wear OS), and it is now subscription-based ($6.99–$59.99 IAPs).
Recoil costs “$2.99/month or $39.99 lifetime after the free tier”Yes Correct (there is also $19.99/year).
Shotbud has airsoft and dry-fire presetsYes Correct, but it hasn’t been updated since Sep 2021, and its reviews say it rarely works.
SG Timer’s app “requires the physical timer”Yes Correct (confirmed by Shooters Global’s FAQ).
There is no standalone AMG timer appYes Correct (only AMG Lab Camera and Updater exist).
Shot Timer – Range Trainer “actually listens”Yes Correct, but it hasn’t been updated since Feb 2024; most recent reviews are 1–2 star.
ShootOnTime is a free par timer without detectionYes Correct.
“13 apps tested”Not verifiable. 4 of the 13 are no longer installable, and Simple Shot Timer, Blast Buddy, Dry Fire Pro, ITP, AlbertLab DryFire and IDPA shot timer are missing from it.

Frequently asked questions

Can a phone app replace a dedicated shot timer?

For dry fire and solo range practice, often yes. At a busy range, a phone’s microphone also hears shots from the next bay. Detection errors like this are the most common complaint in the 759 negative reviews. Watch apps that sense recoil, such as Recoil Shot Timer, avoid the problem but tend to undercount.

Which shot timer app can hear dry-fire clicks?

Dry Fire Pro: Gun Shot Timer (iPhone). It uses on-device machine learning trained on your own trigger click, and it is the only app that reviewers praise for dry-fire clicks. Core features are free; Pro is a subscription or $39.99 for life. If you only need a beep to start and stop, a par timer such as ShootOnTime does the job.

Which shot timer app is best for airsoft?

AirsoftShotTimer. Its detection is tuned for gas blowback, AEG and CO2 guns, and it has a wind filter. It costs $2.99 on iPhone. On Android it is free with a $2.99 in-app purchase, but it is rated 2.5 star and reviewers report ad redirects.

Is there a free shot timer app with no ads and no account?

Yes. Simple Shot Timer (iPhone and Android), ITP Shot Timer (iPhone) and IDPA shot timer (Android) are free, show no ads and need no account. Better Shot Timer (iPhone) is too, but it hasn’t been updated since January 2024.


Appendix: long-tail apps

Every other shot or par timer listing found (ratings are global iOS or Play; ”–” = none). Detection is as claimed in the listing, not verified.

iOS

App (developer)DetectionPrice / IAPRating (n)Last updateNotes
Dry Fire – Shot Timer (Daniel Yaakob)Mic (implied)Free + $6.992.36 (56)Dec 202316 of 20 text reviews are 1–2 star: “doesn’t hear the pistol”, “paid for the upgrade… doesn’t work even in contact with the gun”.
Shot Timer – Airsoft Trainer (Yaakob)MicFree + $6.993.26 (50)Dec 2023“Paid premium to up mic sensitivity but doesn’t record anything even 5 cm from a loud GBBR”.
Pistol Shot Timer (Yaakob)MicFree + $6.993.53 (30)Dec 2023“No par timer; can’t tell holster sound from trigger click”.
Rifle Shot Timer (Yaakob)MicFree + $6.994.0 (4)Dec 2023“can’t pick up any shots”.
Skeet Shooter Shot Timer (Yaakob)MicFree + $6.994.0 (2)Jan 2023Clone.
Shot Timer – Paintball Trainer (Yaakob)MicFree + $6.994.2 (5)Nov 2022Clone.
Caution Shooting Range Shot Timer (Yaakob)Mic$6.99 paid2.94 (17)Dec 2023All 15 of its 1–2 star reviews are about “BattleBux”, a Fortnite rewards app. The listing was repurposed and its ratings belong to a different product.
Caution IPSC Shot Timer by ShotSession (Felipe Muniz)MicHard paywall: $5.99/week … $59.99/year3.86 (7)Oct 2026Tracks you (Identifiers, Purchases). “You can’t even get a single beep without paying”; “still took my money despite cancelling”.
ShotSentry (TechNICKal)Mic, filters neighbouring shootersFree + Pro $9.995.0 (2)Oct 2026Also on Android (10+). The Android version shares device IDs for analytics.
BeeplineMicFree + Pro $5.99–Oct 2026New.
Zero Shot X (RandomFuse)Par + mic “click timer”Free + Pro $19.995.0 (2)Oct 2026Dry-fire focused; offline.
KR Shot Timer (Jose Aguilar)Mic (dry and live)Free + Pro $4.991.0 (1)Jul 2026
Shot Timer (Carter Annandale)Splits (method not stated)Free + $5.995.0 (1)Jun 2026
ShootingFit (Pavel Mitskovich)Shot timer + WatchFree; programs $3.99/month, $24.99/year–Sep 2026“No subscription is required to use the shot timer.”
ShotTimer Pro (Luis Vioque)Mic$2.995.0 (2)Apr 2026
TACTSIM Shot TimerAudio peaksFree5.0 (2)Mar 2024
Timer IPSC (Jade)Mic, auto-calibrationFree + $1.99–Jun 2026
Shot Timer+ (Fare Brothers)Mic (reaction time)Free–Oct 2026
Shot Timer Drills (Daniel Kuruvilla)Bluetooth timer log + WatchFree5.0 (2)Oct 2026Contact Info linked to you.
DownRangeHQ Shot TimerMic (Watch or iPhone)$2.99–Jul 2026
Split Shot Timer (W. Gradkowski)Video comparison (not live)$9.99–Aug 2026
Shot Timer For GSSF MatchMic$1.99–Jun 2026
DryFire Pro: Par Timer (天 解)Par only$1.99–Feb 2026“Limited-time launch price” marketing.
Par Timer (Motus Apps)Par only$0.99–Aug 2025
PRS Shot Timer (EX Corp)Par + detectionFree–Oct 2026Also on Android (100+). One Android 1 star: “keeps closing”.
Precision Match Timer (Joseph Loehle)Par (Apple Watch, shake to start)$19.994.11 (28)Oct 2026
ShoTi (Alexander Balobanov)Shot timer + video$19.994.22 (9)May 2025
Shootwatch (Patrick Hertzog)None: ISSF range-command timer$1.994.69 (340)Sep 2026Popular in FR, DE and ES. 1 star: “voice too artificial”, “times must be entered manually”.
ISSF Shot Timer (SightPicture)Cadence cues$2.99 (Android $3.49)5.0 (1)Aug 2026
JBM Dry FirePar (Steve Anderson drills)Free4.27 (11)Oct 2026
Reshoot (RELOOT)Video shot detection, dry fire$6.99/month, $49.99/year4.77 (30)Oct 2026
Peregrine (Tyler Beattie)Laser camera scoring$14.99 unlock5.0 (11)Oct 2026
Dry Fire AI CoachTraining log + AIFree + $14.995.0 (2)Jun 2026Also on Android (100+).
Victune Dry FireDry-fire analysisFree2.45 (29)Apr 2024
DryfireX (Petter Staveland)Mic (dry fire)Free2.8 (10)Dec 2025
SplitZeroDrill log, parFree–Jul 2026
Shooter Make ReadyLaser targetsFree4.4 (5)Sep 2026

Android

App (developer)DetectionPrice / AdsRating (n)DownloadsLast updateNotes
PA Shot Timer (Purposeful Armament)Dry/live modes (detection unclear)Free, no ads3.22 (9)1,000+ (≈1,357)Mar 2025All 3 low reviews: crashes on start, or “doesn’t pick up any shot”.
DryShotDry-fire sequence timerFree4.17 (51)5,000+ (≈5,079)Apr 2026“Did absolutely nothing”; “no instructions”.
IPSC Shot Timer Zero (Lukáš Mora)MicFree–100+ (≈497)20261 star: “no way to change the par time”.
Make Ready Shot Timer (Bad Rabbit)Mic (custom audio engine)Free–100+ (≈232)2026
IPSC Tracker (Capital Discipline)MicFree–100+ (≈230)2026Collects approximate location and device IDs; data can’t be deleted.
ST7 Shot Timer (ShootingTargets7)MicFree–New (30 Oct 2026)Oct 2026
ParShot (Socrepho)MicAds + IAP $7.99–$12.99–5+Oct 2026Location and device IDs used for advertising.
SplitForce (TapPanel)MicIAP $24.99–0+Oct 2026
Cadence: Shot Timer & Drills (GK Works)Not statedIAP $0.99–$9.99–5+Oct 2026
Sport Pistol Timer (PetSza)Visual red/green onlyFree–500+2026

Browser-based (no install)

There are also timers that run in the browser with nothing to install: shottimer.app (browser-based shot timer, live and from video), the DrillLane browser par timer and the Pistol Wizard dry-fire timer.


Methodology

Data collection (3 Nov 2026)

  • Discovery: the iTunes Search API was queried for 10 search terms in 4 storefronts (US, GB, DE, AU), and Google Play search (US) for 30+ terms, plus each app named in the sources. About 230 iOS and 100 Android hits were screened down to about 100 relevant listings.
  • iOS metadata: the iTunes Lookup API was queried in 31 storefronts (US, GB, CA, AU, NZ, IE, DE, AT, CH, FR, NL, BE, SE, NO, DK, FI, PL, CZ, ES, IT, PT, ZA, BR, MX, JP, IL, HU, RO, SK, GR, UA). “Global rating” is the count-weighted average across those storefronts.
  • iOS pricing and privacy: in-app purchase lists and privacy labels were parsed from each App Store product page.
  • iOS reviews: the App Store customer-review RSS feed was read for every storefront where the app has ratings (up to 500 most recent per storefront).
  • Android: Google Play listing data (install bracket, Play’s own unrounded install figure, rating histogram, “Contains ads”, IAP range, update date), the Data safety page, and 1 star and 2 star reviews (up to 200 per star rating, in English and German).
  • Other sources: developer websites, the AirsoftShotTimer guide, DrillLane’s Oct 2026 comparison, partimerpro.com’s comparison, Guns.com’s 2018 review, the Aptoide mirror, and Shooters Global’s FAQ (as quoted by DrillLane).

Category definitions

CategoryHow it was determined
PricingStore price + IAP list + description + reviews (e.g. “won’t start without a purchase”).
AdsPlay “Contains ads” label + Data safety (advertising purposes) + reviews. iOS has no ad label, so reviews were used.
Account / registrationDescription + Data safety (“Account management”) + iOS privacy label (Contact Info linked to you) + reviews. “Optional” means the app works without one.
Shot detectionWhether the app itself hears or senses shots (phone mic, watch mic or motion), as opposed to only beeping (a par timer) or needing external hardware. These are store claims; detection quality comes from reviews.
RatingiOS global weighted average (n) and the US Google Play rating (n). Google Play shows each country its own rating, so one store is used for every app.
DownloadsGoogle Play install bracket plus Play’s unrounded counter. Apple publishes no download numbers, so the total rating count is the only cross-platform proxy for popularity.
PlatformsiOS (iPhone, Apple Watch) and Android (phone, Wear OS).

Scoring rubric (Ranking A, 100 points)

CriterionPointsRule
Shot detection15Phone mic, standalone = 15 · dry-fire-click specialist = 13 · watch-only = 12
Pricing15Free with no IAP = 15 · free + remove-ads = 13 · free core + optional Pro/sub = 11 · one-time unlock needed for key features or paid upfront = 10 · free tier very limited = 8 · subscription needed for core use = 4–6
Ads10None = 10 · ad redirects reported despite no “Contains ads” label = 7 · ads, paid removal = 5 · ads/intrusive ads = 3
Account10None = 10 · optional = 8 · unclear = 5 · email sign-up reported = 2 · required = 0
Platforms10iOS + Android = 10 · one platform = 5
User rating15Bayesian average across both stores: (n·R + 25·3.5)/(n + 25), scaled from 1 star (0 pts) to 5 star (15 pts). This stops apps with 2 five-star ratings from beating apps with 1,000 ratings.
Popularity10The higher of two bands. Rating count: ≥2,000 = 10 · ≥500 = 8 · ≥100 = 6 · ≥30 = 4 · ≥10 = 2 · else 1. Android installs: ≥100K = 10 · ≥50K = 8 · ≥10K = 6 · ≥1K = 4 · ≥100 = 2 · else 1.
Features5Random delay, par, history, export/video, drills: 5 = all of these + extras, 2 = minimal.
Maintenance5Updated ≤6 months ago = 5 · ≤12 = 3 · ≤24 = 1 · older = 0.
1 star severity55 = no core complaints · 4 = isolated complaints · 3 = some · 2 = frequent · 1 = recurring core failures · 0 = broken.

Ranking B (par timers) uses the same rules without detection: pricing 20, ads 10, account 15, platforms 10, rating 20, popularity 10, features 5, maintenance 5, 1 star severity 5.

Limitations

  • No hands-on range testing. Detection quality is inferred from descriptions and reviews.
  • Store labels are self-declared by developers. AirsoftShotTimer’s Android ad label, for example, conflicts with its own Data safety form and its reviews.
  • Review sampling: the App Store review feed only returns the most recent reviews per country, and Google Play was sampled in English and German only.
  • Prices are US App Store and Google Play prices and vary by region.
  • The “1 star severity” and “features” scores are judgement calls. They are worth 10 of 100 points; dropping both entirely would not change who is #1.

Sources

  • AirsoftShotTimer, Best Shot Timer App 2026: 13 Apps Tested: https://airsoftshottimer.com/en/posts/shot-timer-app-guide/
  • Simple Shot Timer: https://simpleshottimer.com · source code: https://github.com/Mr-Jami/simple-shot-timer
  • DrillLane, Dry Fire Timer Apps: 9 Par and Shot Timers Compared (checked 6 Oct 2026): https://drilllane.com/guides/dry-fire-par-timer-apps/
  • Par Timer Pro, Best Shot Timer App 2026: https://partimerpro.com/best-shot-timer-app/
  • Guns.com, Gear Review: Looking at free shot timer apps (7 Mar 2018): https://www.guns.com/news/review/gear-review-looking-at-free-shot-timer-apps
  • Aptoide mirror, Dry Fire Par Time Tracker: https://dry-fire-par-timer.en.aptoide.com/app
  • PlinkPal: https://www.plinkpal.com/
  • App Store listings: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id<ID>. IDs: Simple Shot Timer 6819042653 · Blast Buddy 6450191739 · AirsoftShotTimer 1182634885 · Dry Fire Pro 6751209426 · ITP 6743187745 · Better Shot Timer 6468091135 · Range Timer AP 1668605147 · Gun Shot Timer 338091445 · Shotbud 1526352591 · Measure & Improve 6754772769 · Range Trainer 1566003865 · Range Buddy 1668988325 · PlinkPal 6451376928 · Recoil 6448735035 · BSHOCK 6471352770 · ShootOnTime 6451364120 · Par Timer (Gunz N’ Coffee) 6784820515 · Range Day 6670685114 · Dry Fire Timer & Par Drills 640341932 · Drill 1616401604 · Par Timer Pro 1505384730 · Drills (SG) 1202856977 · AMG Lab Camera 6748215226 · DAA EDGE 6755687142
  • Google Play listings: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<package>. Packages: cc.jami.simpleshottimer · com.blastbuddy.android · com.kywei.airsoftshottimer · com.albertlab.dryfire · com.mrstefoza.idpatimer · com.stimer · com.miguelq.shot_timer · com.mycompany.rangebuddy · com.caliyatech.plinkpal · com.gunzncoffee.partimer · com.academy.shottimerapp · com.range.day · com.appdrills.handgun · com.lukepighetti.partimerpro · udtech.drills · com.amg_lab.camera · com.doublealpha.edge