Compare meditation apps
Stille vs a phone timer: do you need a meditation app?
A phone timer is enough if all you want is a signal to stop. Stille adds gentle sound, a fixed ten-minute session, and a soft finishing gong in one place.
What a timer already does well
You do not need a meditation app to meditate. Set a timer, put the phone aside, and spend a little time paying attention. If silence suits you and you like choosing your own duration, there may be nothing to add.
A timer also keeps your practice independent of a particular app. You can use the same approach with a clock or a simple alarm. The value is the time you make, rather than the tool you use.
What changes with Stille
Stille combines the sound and the session boundary. Tap Meditate and one of three recordings begins. You do not need to queue music in another app, match a playlist to a timer, or decide what should happen when the music ends. The recording lasts ten minutes; a soft gong follows successful completion.
If you pause Stille, both the audio and the session countdown pause together. You can lock your iPhone and continue listening, or end early with confirmation. Session history stays locally on the device.
The tradeoff is flexibility
Stille is an iPhone app for iOS 17 or later, and every session is ten minutes. It does not offer a silent timer mode, custom session lengths, or a sound picker. A general-purpose timer gives you more control over duration and works without installing Stille.
Choose the smallest setup that helps you begin
Use a timer if silence and a time boundary are enough. Choose Stille if you want sound and a gentle ending without arranging them yourself. Read why a dedicated meditation app can be useful for more about that small difference.