Event Timer for Live Events
A countdown clock for conferences, keynotes, services and shows. It keeps every speaker and every segment to time and runs on Mac, Windows and Raspberry Pi.
What an event timer is for
An event timer is a countdown clock that keeps a live event on schedule. It works on the day itself rather than counting down the days to a date. It shows a speaker how long they have left, times each segment of the running order and makes it obvious when a session has overrun. It usually sits on a confidence monitor that the stage can see and the audience can't.
A phone stopwatch or a browser tab can count to zero, but a live event asks more of a timer. The countdown has to be readable from the stage and controllable from wherever the operator is standing. It also has to move on to the next session without anyone re-typing times in front of the room. For more on the difference, read our guide to what a show timer is.
KUMA Timer is a native event timer for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows and Raspberry Pi. It is used for conferences, keynotes, theatre, church services and broadcast. Because it is an installed app rather than a website, the countdown doesn't depend on a stable internet connection.
How to set up a countdown for your event
- Build the running order. Add each part of the event to the cuesheet as a named cue with its own duration, such as welcome, keynote, panel and break. Drag cues to reorder them, double-click to load one, and import or export the list as JSON or CSV.
- Choose where the countdown appears. Send the timer full-screen to any monitor connected to the computer. That way the projector can stay on slides while a confidence monitor shows the time.
- Decide how it warns people. The digits change from green to orange to red as time runs down. At zero you can hold at 00:00, count up into overtime or stop, with an optional blink and a background colour change.
- Pick how you'll control it. Start and pause from the keyboard, or put start, pause and presets on Stream Deck buttons through the Bitfocus Companion module. You can also run it from a phone or tablet with the web controller and the KUMA Companion app for iPhone and iPad (Full).
- Let it start itself. Scheduled cues fire at a set time of day, so a ‘doors open’ countdown can begin at 18:45 without anyone touching the desk (Full).
You can also switch between countdown, count-up and a time-of-day clock in the same display, which is useful between sessions.
What to look for in event timer software
The right countdown app for an event depends on how that event runs. These are the questions worth asking before show day, and how KUMA Timer answers each one.
| What your event needs | How KUMA Timer handles it |
|---|---|
| Long sessions | MM:SS up to 59:59 in Lite. HH:MM:SS up to 99:59:59 and frame-accurate MM:SS:FR (Full) |
| A full running order | Up to 10 presets and 10 cues in Lite, with no limit on either (Full) |
| A discreet word with the speaker | Message to screen as a scrolling or static banner, with timed auto-dismiss and saved templates (Full) |
| Sound alerts | Chimes at the orange and red transitions and a gong at 00:00 (Full) |
| Remote presenters or crew off-site | KUMA Live lets people watch the countdown in a browser from a shared link, with no port forwarding (Full) |
| Livestream or vision mixer | NDI and OMT video output, plus Blackmagic DeckLink SDI/HDMI on macOS and Windows (Full) |
| Show control | OSC and Bitfocus Companion in every version. QLab and Mitti cue mirroring and TCP/UDP commands on port 36702 (Full) |
| Extra screens around the venue | Raspberry Pi kiosk mode on any TV, or wireless Ulanzi TC001 and ESP32-S3-BOX-3 displays (Full) |
Event timers for conferences, churches and presentations
Conferences, keynotes and theatre. A multi-session day needs a runsheet, a confidence monitor and control from the wings. The stage timer software overview covers outputs, integrations and platforms in detail.
Church services. The sermon countdown goes on a platform monitor while the projector stays on lyrics. The order of service becomes a cue list, and it is simple enough for a volunteer team. See the church timer page.
Single presentations. Presenter View puts a floating, always-on-top countdown over PowerPoint or Keynote in full-screen, and your clicker keeps working (Full). More on the PowerPoint timer overlay.
Broadcast. An SMPTE LTC timecode receiver and generator are included, and Chase to Timecode fires cues automatically when incoming timecode reaches its target (Full).
Free event timer options and pricing
If you just need a countdown on a screen right now, the free online timer runs in your browser with no install and no account.
For the desktop app, every install starts with a 30-day Full trial with every feature, no sign-up and no card. When the trial ends, KUMA Timer carries on free in Lite mode. Lite keeps the core countdown, count-up and clock, overtime behaviours, up to 10 presets and cues, OSC and Bitfocus Companion. A one-off £8 licence unlocks Full for life, with free updates for this major version and no subscription. UK buyers pay +20% VAT at checkout.
One licence code works on macOS, Windows and Raspberry Pi, one machine at a time, and you can move it via the deregister portal. Venues with several machines can buy a volume licence and save up to 25%. Full details are on the pricing page.
FAQ
What is the best countdown app for events?
The best one is the one that fits how your event runs. For live events, look for a timer that shows the countdown on a separate screen from your slides and runs through a list of segments. It should also warn the speaker as time runs out and can be controlled remotely. KUMA Timer does all of this on Mac, Windows and Raspberry Pi, with a free 30-day trial and a free Lite mode afterwards.
How do I set a countdown to an event?
In KUMA Timer, type in the hours, minutes and seconds and press Start, or add each segment to the cuesheet with its own duration. If you want the countdown to begin at a particular time of day, such as before doors open, a scheduled cue can start it automatically with a Full licence. KUMA Timer is designed for timing on the day of the event rather than counting down the days to a date.
What is a timer event?
The term has a few meanings. In software, a timer event is an action triggered when a timer reaches a set point. In online games, it usually means an in-game event that happens on a schedule. In live production, an event timer is the countdown clock used to keep speakers and segments to time, which is what KUMA Timer provides.
Can I use a countdown timer for events for free?
Yes. KUMA Timer's free browser timer works instantly with no install or account. The desktop app starts with a 30-day Full trial and then continues free in Lite mode, which includes countdown, count-up, clock, overtime behaviours, up to 10 presets and cues of up to 59:59, OSC and Bitfocus Companion.
Streaming the event too? See how to put the countdown into OBS as a countdown timer.