Moonfade Blog
Which Moonfade features are free and which require Pro?
Choose between Moonfade’s basic timer workflow and optional Pro features based on your actual needs: ads, editable presets, widget access, themes, or fade choices.
Moonfade's free version provides the basic Android media-timer workflow, while Pro adds convenience and customization features and removes ads. Decide by identifying what you need to change about your current routine. Buying Pro does not establish that a particular media app will pause differently on your device.
Start with the basic timer workflow
The Moonfade product guide describes a duration dial from 1 minute to 24 hours and five built-in presets: 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 minutes. Start the media in your usual player, choose the duration, and use Moonfade to arrange the ending.
That ending includes a media-volume fade from 0 to 60 seconds after the countdown finishes, followed by a request for playback to pause. Keep Stop audio & video enabled in Settings for the playback ending. The active notification lets you add time, subtract time, or stop the timer without reopening the app.
The current version requires Device Admin activation before you start a timer. Moonfade uses that permission to turn off and lock the display. Choosing Pro does not replace this setup requirement or turn screen lock into proof that the media player paused.
Before looking for more customization, run a short test with the player you intend to use. That tells you whether the basic ending suits your setup.
What Pro changes
Pro is an optional one-time Google Play purchase. Its documented additions are:
| Feature | Free | One-time Pro unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Duration timer and notification controls | Included | Included |
| Quick presets | Five built-in durations | Five editable presets |
| Fade | 0–60 seconds with Linear | Adds Gentle Start and Late Drop curves |
| Home-screen timer widget | Not included | Included |
| Night themes | Basic appearance | Four additional themes |
| Advertising | May show Google Mobile Ads | Removes ads |
Use the widget guide for its verified controls and separate start flow. A widget does not bypass the current in-app Device Admin activation requirement.
These benefits address different preferences. Someone who regularly chooses the same custom durations may care most about editable presets. Someone interested in appearance may care about themes. Another person may want the ad-free experience without changing how they set timers.
Do not infer controls that are not described in the product guide. The widget's availability does not establish a particular button layout or a way to bypass Device Admin. Likewise, the additional curve names do not specify exact mathematics or guarantee a player's pause behavior.
Match one feature to one practical need
Begin with a sentence about the problem you want to solve. For example: “I keep choosing durations that differ from the built-in presets.” That gives editable presets a concrete purpose. If you instead want different visual options, the additional themes are the relevant feature.
If your main problem is continuing playback after the timer ends, check the settings and player response first. The official playback support instructions recommend checking Stop audio & video and testing the media app. A purchase decision should not substitute for that observation.
You can also separate cosmetic preference from timer behavior. A theme changes personalization; it should not be presented as changing the device's media response. Choose the feature for what it actually does.
Keep advertising and privacy claims precise
The free version may show ads through Google Mobile Ads. Pro removes ads, but the supported claim is not that purchasing Pro eliminates every form of service processing. Google Play still handles purchases.
The Moonfade privacy policy explains local settings, purchase information, and advertising and consent services. No Moonfade account is required, but that is separate from how those services process information. Read the relevant sections if advertising is the reason you are considering the unlock.
A simple decision checklist
First, test a short basic timer with your usual player. Second, identify one documented Pro feature you want. Third, remember that Google Play records the purchase under the purchasing account, while your timer customization stays local. Finally, if you already purchased Pro, use Restore purchase on the Pro screen before assuming a new purchase is needed.
If none of the Pro additions solves a current need, the basic workflow may be enough for your present routine. Revisit the decision when you have a specific customization task.
Get Moonfade on Google Play and try your usual duration and ending first; then use the feature list to decide whether the optional Pro unlock is useful.