Comparison

Round 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

Round 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

A simple and beautiful timer for your HIIT, Tabata and EMOM workouts. Features: • Listen to your music while using the app • Plays sounds to alert for the beginning of a new round • Easy to change timer settings • Default setup is an 8-round Tabata workout • Works in background • Supports landscape mode • The Apple Watch app Integrates with the Health app to track your heart rate and energy used • Workout reminders to help you stay consistent • Pre-built routines for quick workout setup • Free app Start using IMMEDIATELY without tedious setup found in other apps. The intervals are simple to change to suit any kind of training you want. Distinct colors represent exercise phases for easy recognition. High intensity interval training (HIIT) has several benefits over traditional cardio programs including: • burns a large number of calories in a short period of time • increases your metabolic rate even after you've finished exercising • helps you lose weight with the least amount of time spent in the gym Download the app now and give it a try! 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

Round Timer4 screens
Workout Timer Essential4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Round Timer at 4.8 against Workout Timer Essential's 2.7. Round Timer also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks 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. Round 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

Round Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Round 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 Round Timer's written reviews are positive against 50% of Workout Timer Essential's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Round Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, Workout Timer Essential every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Round Timer versus Workout Timer Essential: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRound 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 frequencyEvery 3 weeks — 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
Size39 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMiklos PavelAlessandro Pettazzoni

Customer experience

Round 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

Round 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 Round Timer free?
Round 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, Round Timer or Workout Timer Essential?
Round Timer is rated higher. Round Timer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 296 ratings, while Workout Timer Essential averages 2.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Round Timer or Workout Timer Essential have ads?
Round Timer shows ads; Workout Timer Essential does not.
Which is updated more often, Round Timer or Workout Timer Essential?
Round Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Workout Timer Essential every 16 months. Most recently, Round Timer was updated on September 12, 2026 and Workout Timer Essential on September 14, 2026.

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