Comparison

Workout Timer Essential vs Exercise Timer

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

Head to head
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 They were either cluttered messes, no longer maintained, terribly designed or simply not working anymore.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.

About

Exercise Timer

Create and guide custom interval training routines with this app. It supports timed and rep-based exercises, offers voice coaching, and logs your workout history with detailed analytics. Track progress over time and organize routines into training plans.

Highlights
  • Custom workout routines
  • Voice coach for next exercise
  • Timed and rep-based exercises
  • Workout logging and analytics
  • Training plans
  • Background operation
  • Apple Watch support
Features
Read full description

Create custom workout routines & let Exercise Timer guide you through your interval training. Exercise Timer supports both timed exercises and even reps-based exercises (press 'done' when exercise complete). Use Exercise Timer with your screen on or even in the background with your screen locked. Keep your phone in your pocket & Exercise Timer will still let you know which exercise is coming up by voice, vibration & bell. Keep a log of every workout along with an exercise breakdown & take notes. Know how much time you spend exercising with weekly, monthly & yearly charts. In addition to this, Exercise Timer generates reports of individual exercises with overall totals & Exercise Progression charts FEATURES • Create your custom workout routines • Voice Coach announces the next exercise • Optional Metronome to improve cadence • Multiple Bell Sounds • Group Exercises. E.g.: for Warm-Up/Cool-Down • Timed Exercises & Reps exercises supported • Color code your Exercises • Explain your exercises better with our library of exercise GIFs • Log & keep track of your workouts • Workout Analytics • Organize your workouts in Training Plans • Training plans designed by our fitness experts • Works in Background with device locked and screen off • Use Exercise Timer on your Apple Watch IDEAL FOR: • Interval Training, Tabata & Circuit Training • Yoga • Boxing • Keeping all your Workout Routines & Plans in one place • Gym Timer ARE YOU A FITNESS TRAINER? Create your Training Plans and workout routines in Exercise Timer and easily share them with your clients. APPLE WATCH Yes, Exercise Timer works on your Apple Watch! All your workouts are automatically synced on your Apple watch. Workouts performed on your apple watch are also logged on your phone. Download Exercise Timer Now and get moving! UNLOCK PREMIUM FEATURES Exercise Timer Premium is available with a monthly or annual subscription. If you choose to purchase Exercise Timer Premium, payment will be charged to your iTunes account, and your account will be charged for renewal 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Your subscription will automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24hrs before the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to the ‘Manage Subscription’ page after purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of service: https://exercisetimer.net/terms Privacy policy: https://exercisetimer.net/privacypolicy

Screenshots

Workout Timer Essential4 screens
Exercise Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Exercise Timer at 4.8 against Workout Timer Essential's 2.7. Exercise Timer also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (1K vs 3). Workout Timer Essential's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Workout Timer Essential sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Exercise Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Exercise Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exercise Timer has 1K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Workout Timer Essential's written reviews are positive against 73% of Exercise Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Workout Timer Essential ships an update every 16 months, Exercise Timer monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Workout Timer Essential versus Exercise Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWorkout Timer EssentialExercise Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (3 ratings)4.8 (1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews73.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings31K — better
Update frequencyEvery 16 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS12.0 — better17
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlessandro PettazzoniNeurondigital Ltd

Customer experience

Workout Timer Essential

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

Exercise Timer

All ratings1,000 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive73.2%
Neutral7.1%
Negative19.6%

Bugs and requests

Workout Timer Essential

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Exercise Timer

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Syncing issues with Apple Watch
  • Randomly locking users out and requiring upgrade
  • Deleting all routines after uninstalling
  • Exercises not updating properly on Apple Watch
  • Apple Watch app causing native exercise app to crash
Show 1 more
  • Phone locked, no chime when locked

Requested features

5 requests
  • Sync workouts across devices without logging out/in
  • Ability to duplicate workouts on iPhone
  • Search, sort, or reorder routines
  • Connect with Apple Health app
  • Shortcut/automation support

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Workout Timer Essential

One-time1
  • Ads Removal$0.99
3 purchases

Exercise Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Exercise Timer Premium Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Exercise Timer Premium Yearly3 Days trial$30.991 Year
One-time1
  • Exercise Timer Lifetime$69.99

Questions

Is Workout Timer Essential free?
Workout Timer Essential is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Exercise Timer free?
Exercise Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Workout Timer Essential or Exercise Timer?
Exercise Timer is rated higher. Workout Timer Essential averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Exercise Timer averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.
Do Workout Timer Essential or Exercise Timer have ads?
Neither Workout Timer Essential nor Exercise Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Workout Timer Essential or Exercise Timer?
Workout Timer Essential ships an update every 16 months, and Exercise Timer monthly. Most recently, Workout Timer Essential was updated on September 14, 2026 and Exercise Timer on September 25, 2026.

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