Comparison

Interval Timer vs Workout Timer Essential

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Interval Timer

This app provides a simple and customizable timer for interval training like HIIT, Tabata, and EMOM. It offers audio cues, background operation, and integrates with Apple Watch for health tracking. Pre-built routines and workout reminders help users stay consistent with their fitness goals.

Highlights
  • Customizable interval timer
  • Audio alerts for rounds
  • Background operation
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Workout reminders
  • Pre-built routines
Features
Read full description

Set your work and rest intervals, press start, and focus on your workout. PureHIIT is a simple timer for HIIT, Tabata, EMOM, circuits, and boxing rounds. • Adjust work, rest, and round settings to suit your session. • Follow sound cues as you move from one phase to the next. • Keep listening to your music while you train. • Use the timer in the background or in landscape mode. • Start with a prebuilt routine or save your own. • Set workout reminders to help you keep a routine. Getting started is simple: choose a routine or set your intervals, check the number of rounds, and press start. Clear phase colors help you see when to work and when to rest. Free to download, with optional in-app purchases. Apple Watch features require Premium. On Apple Watch, the app integrates with Health to record heart rate and energy used. Make time for your next workout with PureHIIT. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Workout Timer Essential

A streamlined workout timer designed for simplicity and essential functionality. It offers a clean, bicolor interface and integrates with HealthKit for Apple Watch workout data. Support the developer with an optional in-app purchase to remove ads.

Highlights
  • Essential bicolor layout
  • HealthKit integration
  • Apple Watch workout functions
  • Streamlined design
  • Optional ad removal
Features
Read full description

Hi, my name is Alessandro, 23yo from Italy. I've been going to the gym since I was a teen and I've tried pretty much all the gym apps in the App Store, both paid and not. Nothing worked. They were either cluttered messes, no longer maintained, terribly designed or simply not working anymore. So I've set out to design my own, targeting the latest Apple hardware and Development Kit, sticking to the true simplicity of a bicolor, essential layout. I decided to share it with you, for free, with a small in app purchase to remove ads if you want to support the development, hoping you'll enjoy it as much as I do. Thank you.This App integrates with Health Kit to use the Workout functions in your Apple Watch.

Screenshots

Interval Timer4 screens
Workout Timer Essential4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Interval Timer at 4.8 against Workout Timer Essential's 2.7. Interval Timer also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (296 vs 3). Workout Timer Essential's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Interval Timer sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Workout Timer Essential sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Interval Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Interval Timer has 296 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Interval Timer's written reviews are positive against 50% of Workout Timer Essential's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Interval Timer ships an update fortnightly, Workout Timer Essential every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Interval Timer versus Workout Timer Essential: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInterval TimerWorkout Timer Essential
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (296 ratings) — better2.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews73.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings296 — better3
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 16 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMiklos PavelAlessandro Pettazzoni

Customer experience

Interval Timer

All ratings296 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.0%

Workout Timer Essential

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Interval Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time6
  • Premium featuresFree
  • Remove Ads$1.99
  • Custom sounds$1.99
Show 3 more
  • Premium features$4.99
  • Premium features$9.99
  • Premium features$14.99
1 purchases

Workout Timer Essential

One-time1
  • Ads Removal$0.99

Questions

Is Interval Timer free?
Interval Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Workout Timer Essential free?
Workout Timer Essential is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Interval Timer or Workout Timer Essential?
Interval Timer is rated higher. Interval Timer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 296 ratings, while Workout Timer Essential averages 2.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Interval Timer or Workout Timer Essential have ads?
Interval Timer shows ads; Workout Timer Essential does not.
Which is updated more often, Interval Timer or Workout Timer Essential?
Interval Timer ships an update fortnightly, and Workout Timer Essential every 16 months. Most recently, Interval Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and Workout Timer Essential on October 2, 2026.

Other comparisons