TIMER CHOICE GUIDE
Free Online Poker Blinds Timer vs WTGB App: When Browser Is Enough (and When AirPlay Wins)
The free browser timer and the WTGB iOS app come from the same brand, so this is not a fight to win. It is a simple question of what your room needs on the night.
Updated · 2026-09-06
Start with the free browser timer
Open the WTGB free online blinds timer at / and you have a working tournament clock in seconds. There is nothing to install and no account to create, so it is the fastest way to get a home game moving.
Reach for the WTGB iOS app only when a specific need appears: a clean player-facing TV that you control from your phone, two to four tables on one screen, or a clock you can trust not to be interrupted by a browser tab. The rest of this guide explains exactly where that line is.
When the free browser timer is enough
A single-table home game on a laptop or tablet is the ideal case for the browser timer. You set the structure once, prop the screen where players can see it, and run the night.
- One table, one screen, and everyone can see the laptop or tablet
- You are happy to keep the device awake and avoid accidental refreshes
- You do not need to control the clock from across the room
- You want zero setup: no download, no account, no App Store
What the free browser timer already includes
The browser timer is not a stripped-down demo. It covers the essentials most home hosts need before a single hand is dealt.
- Editable blind levels: small blind, big blind, ante, and minutes per level
- Add or remove levels and drop in breaks wherever you want them
- Start, pause, previous, next, and reset controls
- A large current-blinds display with the ante and the next level always visible
- Sound alerts you can toggle, plus a full-screen mode for a shared display
- No signup and no download, since it runs directly in your browser
When to upgrade to the WTGB app
The app earns its place when the room, not the clock, becomes the hard part. If you are walking to the screen to change levels, fighting a browser tab that keeps sleeping, or adding a second table, the iOS app is built for exactly those situations.
- You want to control the tournament from your iPhone or iPad while a TV shows the clock
- You are running two, three, or four tables and want them on one shared blind level
- You want a dedicated controller that will not be interrupted by a stray refresh or notification
- You want the clock to keep running without leaning on the venue Wi-Fi
AirPlay display separation vs mirroring a browser tab
The biggest practical difference is how the TV gets its picture. With the WTGB app you keep the controls on your device and AirPlay a clean tournament clock to the TV, so adjusting a level never flashes your controls on the big screen. See /guides/how-to-airplay-poker-timer-from-ipad for the exact steps.
Mirroring a browser tab shows the whole tab, controls and all, and any notification or accidental gesture appears on the shared screen. It works, but it is more fragile than a purpose-built display. For the wider set of TV options, see /guides/how-to-show-poker-timer-on-tv and /airplay-poker-timer.
Running more than one table
The browser timer shows one clock. If your home game grows to a two-table, twenty-player event, the WTGB app can display up to four tournament clocks side by side and keep every table on the same blind level. See /split-screen-poker-timer and the walkthrough at /guides/how-to-run-two-poker-tables-on-one-ipad.
Side by side: what to actually compare
Ignore star ratings and marketing claims. For a home host, only a few practical questions decide which tool wins on the night.
- Controls: do you need to run the clock from your hand, away from the screen?
- Display: mirror a tab, or a separate player-facing clock over AirPlay or HDMI?
- Tables: one table, or two to four on one shared level?
- Reliability: is an accidental refresh or a sleeping tab an acceptable risk?
- Setup cost: a zero-install web page, or a one-time App Store download?
Recommended setups
Two setups cover almost every home game.
- Laptop plus HDMI: open the free browser timer at /, connect the laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable, and run the whole night from the keyboard
- iPhone or iPad plus AirPlay: use the WTGB app, keep controls in your hand, and AirPlay the clock to the TV for a cleaner display and multiple tables
- If your venue Wi-Fi is unreliable, read /guides/offline-poker-blinds-timer before you decide, because a flaky wireless path changes the recommendation
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Turn the guide into tournament settings
Open the related WTGB toolFAQ
Common questions
Is the free browser timer really free with no signup?
Yes. The WTGB online blinds timer runs in your browser with no account and no download. You can edit the structure, start the clock, and go full screen immediately.
Can I start on the web and switch to the app later?
Yes. Many hosts run their first games on the free browser timer at / and only move to the WTGB iOS app once they need phone controls, a separate TV display, or multiple tables.
Does mirroring a browser tab to a TV work?
It can, but the whole tab is shown, including your controls and any notifications, and a stray refresh can interrupt it. AirPlaying a dedicated clock from the WTGB app keeps the controls private and the display clean.
Which should I use for two tables?
Use the WTGB app. The browser timer shows a single clock, while the app can display up to four tournament clocks on one shared blind level. See /guides/how-to-run-two-poker-tables-on-one-ipad.
Do I need Wi-Fi for the browser timer?
You need a connection to load the page. Once the tab is open the clock runs in your browser, but it is not an installable offline app, so avoid closing or refreshing the tab. On unreliable Wi-Fi, a wired HDMI display or the WTGB app is more dependable. See /guides/offline-poker-blinds-timer.