Tide review
An inexpensive Mac timer with flexible cycles, presets, shortcuts, and no subscription.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Tide is a native macOS menu-bar timer for focused work, meetings, and Pomodoro sessions. It suits Mac users who want a small, local timer rather than a broader productivity workspace. The app supports one-off timers with custom durations, configurable Pomodoro work and break lengths, saved duration presets, automatic repetition, completion sounds, and quick-add input using natural language. It runs locally without accounts, projects, or dashboards.
According to the vendor's pricing page, Tide uses a simple paid model: the Lifetime License costs $2.99 as a one-time payment and includes all features, a free trial, no subscriptions, and free updates in the 1.x series. That makes the product a straightforward purchase for users who prefer lifetime access over recurring billing. The published plan also makes clear that updates are tied to the 1.x series, so Tide is most suitable for buyers focused on its current macOS timer feature set.
The standout fit is its focused timer workflow. Users can create one-off timers, configure work and break lengths for Pomodoro cycles, repeat timers automatically, save duration presets, choose completion sounds, and open quick-add input with a global keyboard shortcut. The menu-bar interface keeps the timer centered on the desktop without adding projects, task management, statistics, or dashboards. Choose Tide if you want an inexpensive Mac-only timer with flexible cycles and low setup overhead; choose another category tool if progress reporting, task organization, or broader platform coverage matters.
Tide pros and cons
- Where it wins
- $2.99 one-time lifetime license with all features included
- Custom Pomodoro cycles, presets, repetition, and completion sounds
- Menu-bar operation with natural-language quick-add and global shortcut
- Where it doesn't
- Available only on macOS
- No statistics, task features, projects, or dashboards
- Free updates are limited to the 1.x series
Tide fact sheet, pricing and score →
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