Someone sets a Reminder for "in 10 minutes" because there's no faster timer at hand, then wonders why there's no visible countdown showing how much of those 10 minutes is left. Reminders and timers look similar on the surface — both end in a notification — but they're built for different jobs, and using one in place of the other leaves a real gap.
A Reminder is a scheduled alert: it fires once, at a fixed point in time, and gives you no sense of progress beforehand. A timer is a live countdown: it shows you, continuously, how much time remains, which is exactly what you need when you're actively waiting on something.
Where the Reminders app falls short as a timer
Reminders has no ring, no progress bar, no visual countdown of any kind. Setting one for "in 15 minutes" and then checking your progress means opening the Reminders app and doing mental math based on the time it was created. It also requires typing or dictating a note each time, which is more setup than a one-off countdown deserves.
The fix: Tickpull
Tickpull is built specifically for the countdown use case Reminders can't cover. Drag from the menu bar icon to set a duration and release — no typing a note, no app to open. A ring fills continuously so you always see live progress, not just a single notification at the end.
When you need progress, not just an alert
Cooking, brewing, working in timed blocks — any task where knowing "how much is left" matters more than "when did this start" calls for a real countdown, not a scheduled note.
When you need a scheduled alert, not a countdown
"Call the dentist at 3pm" or "leave for the airport by noon" are genuinely Reminders use cases — fixed points in time, not durations you're actively watching tick down. Keep those in Reminders.
Using both together
Reminders for the things you need to remember at a specific time, Tickpull for the things you're actively waiting on right now. They complement each other rather than compete.